416 people have been arrested in the latest crackdown on child marriage in northeastern India, according to Indian police. A total of over 4,800 people have now been arrested in the operation.
“We will continue to take bold steps to get rid of this social evil,” says state chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the state of Assam.
Sarma has promised to eradicate child marriage in the state by 2026.
The operation began in February 2023 when around 1,800 people were arrested. After the latest offensive on Saturday and Sunday, the number has risen to over 4,800, according to Sarma.
Indian law prohibits marriage to anyone under the age of 18, but the practice is widespread.
Since 2000, the number of child marriages has fallen drastically. However, it is estimated that around 1.5 million girls under the age of 18 are married off annually in India, according to Unicef .