As part of ongoing efforts to combat child marriages in Assam, the police have apprehended 15 individuals posing as “fake Kazis” in Hailakandi district. These individuals are accused of orchestrating child marriages by fabricating documents, as confirmed by a senior official on Thursday.
According to law enforcement, an operation was launched under the leadership of the Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime), resulting in the arrest of 15 counterfeit Kazis from various locations in the district on Wednesday.
A senior police official detailed the arrests, indicating that six suspects were detained under the Lala police station, two each from Hailakandi, Ramnathpur, and Algapur police station areas, and one each from Katlichera, Panchgram, and Bilaipur police station areas.
Samir Baruah, the Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) in Hailakandi district, explained that numerous marriage registers were seized from the accused. He added, “The arrested persons are fake Kazis, and they illegally conducted marriages, including minors. In one register, we found that one of the arrested persons had illegally conducted 150-200 marriages in the district. They also conducted child marriages. Our investigation is ongoing.”
The individuals taken into custody were identified as Azir Uddin Laskar, Mufti Abul Hussain, Asadullah Laskar, Kausar Ahmed, Abdul Jalil Laskar, Sorif Uddin Barbuya, Nurul Hoque Laskar, Abdus Asalam Mazumdar, Ubeidulla Choudhary, Abu Bakhar Barbhuiya, Aftab Uddin Laskar, Moin Uddin Chowdhury, Mujakir Hussain Mazumdar, Sahidul Haque, and Foiz Uddin Laskar.
The police official further noted that a case had been registered, and various documents were seized during the operation. Ongoing legal action is being pursued.
Earlier this month, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a recurring crackdown on child marriages, with “significant arrests” anticipated in the upcoming enforcement drive later in the month. The chief minister expressed optimism that child marriage would be eradicated from Assam by 2026.
According to state government data, arrests under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, of 2006 have increased over the years in Assam, with 50 arrests in 2017, 106 in 2018, 156 in 2019, 216 in 2020, 166 in 2021, 257 in 2022, and 3,098 in the first two months of the current year.
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