Guwahati/UNI: Amid protests, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma vowed to carry on with the crackdown on child marriage in the state.

"Our drive against child marriage is for public health & public welfare as the teenage pregnancy ratio in Assam is quite alarming - 16.8%. We're resolved to continue this drive until we fulfil our objective. I urge the people to cooperate with us in controlling this harmful trend,” Sarma tweeted on Monday.

Assam police so far have arrested more than 2,278 men, as protests against the move are getting louder, with young women coming out in the streets seeking the release of their husbands.

The protests are mainly concentrated in Muslim-dominated areas.

Police had to lathi charge and fire tear gas shells to disperse a crowd of women and their relatives who staged a protest outside Tamarhat police station in Dhubri district seeking immediate release of their husbands. Dhubri is one of the Muslim-majority districts of Assam.

As many as 126 persons have been arrested for arson and vandalism of public properties in the state.

Assam police to date have registered 4074 cases of child marriage.
The arrests were made under sections of the Child Marriage Prohibition Act, of 2006, and are likely to be granted bail by courts.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Jan 23 instructed police to apply the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) A.

But the charges of Posco are non-bailable and if proven guilty one can face a maximum punishment of 3 years.