Assam police have detaine 139 people in Biswanath district as part of its State-wide crackdown on child marriages after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed to end the issue.

"So far, 139 persons have been arrested, and 97 child marriage-related cases have been filed at various police stations. Of the 139 people, 23 have been detained by the Sootea police station, 24 by Biswanath Chariali Sadar, 20 by Jinjia, 30 by Behali, 9 by Helem, and 33 by the Gohpur police station "Navin Singh, the Biswanath SP, said.

As per the law, "strict action against them will be followed," he saod. Similar to this, in the Karimganj area, police have so far made 79 arrests in 92 child marriage-related incidents that have been reported to various police stations.

SP Padmanabh Baruah of Karimganj said, "These people were involved in child marriage and booked under terms of the Child Marriage Act." According to Assam police records, 139 people have been detained in cases involving child marriage in the districts of Biswanath, Dhubri, Baksa, Cachar, Goalpara, 126 in Dhubri, 120 in Baksa, 114 in Barpeta, 97 in Nagaon, 96 in Hojai, 94 in Kokrajhar, 87 in Bongaigaon, 79 in Karimganj, 76 in Hailakandi

Addressing a press conference on February 3, Assam's Director-General of Police (DGP) G.P. Singh stated that police had detained 2,044 people in the State during the previous two days as part of the campaign against child marriage, and that 4,074 complaints had already been filed.

He said that among the arrested individuals 52 are priests and Qazis involved in child marriages. The majority of arrests have been made in the districts of Dhubri, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, and Vishwanath. He added that Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief minister of Assam, had instructed the police to launch an investigation after learning that child marriage was pervasive in the State.

"About two months ago, CM Sarma informed the police that we should conduct an investigation after receiving information that child marriage was widespread throughout the State. All the SPs were instructed by the CM to contact their respective village defence groups, Gaon Buras, community heads, and other notable members of the community after learning that child marriage occurs in several parts of the State "DGP added.

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