Guwahati: An 80-year-old father died after his son was arrested as part of a crackdown on child marriage in the Dhubri district of Assam.
The deceased has been identified as Rajendra Roy who is a resident of Golakganj.
According to reports, Rajendra’s son identified as Ukil Roy who was arrested in connection with a child marriage case.
Ukil was arrested for marrying his daughter before she was of legal age and at a younger age.
It is claimed that the police harassed and threatened Ukil’s family after his arrest.
The family said that due to threaten and harassment they received from the police, the elderly man died in distress.
A man committed suicide yesterday in Gauripur town.
Reportedly, the man killed himself by slitting his throat. Following the state government’s crackdown against child marriage he committed suicide out of fear of being imprisoned.
The deceased have been identified as Kasem Ali Parmani. He was from the village of Baghmara.
Ali was married in 2011. He had three kids in total. Investigations had shown that the deceased was believed to have killed himself out of fear of being arrested in connection with the campaign against child marriage.
Chief minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma announced in a tweet that more than 4000 incidents of child marriage have been reported in the state and promised tough measures against those responsible.
Assam’s various groups have criticised the act in specific situations.
At the same time, protests against the government’s crackdown have been organised by the wives and family members of individuals who have been arrested.