CHILD MARRIAGES: Over 1000 people arrested in Northeast Indian crackdown

In India's remote northeast, more than 1,000 individuals were arrested in a government crackdown on child marriages, marking the second such operation in the region this year. 

India is home to over 220 million child brides, as per UN statistics, but the incidence of child weddings has significantly decreased in this century.

Earlier in February, Assam state had already arrested 4,000 individuals as part of an earlier campaign against child marriages. This included parents of married couples and registrars who approved underage betrothals.

Himanta Biswa Sarma, the state's chief minister, announced the launch of a second phase of the campaign, describing it as a "special operation" that began in the early hours. He noted that the number of arrests was likely to increase and currently stood at 1,039.

Sarma has been vocal about his commitment to eradicating child marriages entirely in his state by 2026. While the legal marriage age in India is 18, many children, particularly in poorer rural areas, are compelled to marry at a younger age. Parents often marry off their children with the hope of improving their financial stability.

The consequences of child marriages are severe, with girls often forced to abandon their education to assume household duties and face health issues due to early childbirth. In a significant 2017 ruling, India's top court declared that sexual relations with an underage spouse constituted rape, a decision welcomed by activists fighting against child marriages.