West Bengal probes underage marriage drivers
The West Bengal police are investigating into the religious angle behind underage marriages and child births in the State over the past several years. This even as dozens of arrests were made and cases filed throughout the State against men and their facilitators indulging in underage marriages and childbirth.
The raids are being carried out following a “zero-tolerance” crackdown on child marriages and teenage pregnancies, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari warning that any “person who is found guilty will be not spared and strictest possible laws will be applied against them.”
“Strong eyes are being kept on maulanas and purohits who are encouraging and solemnising child marriages. Anganwadi and ICDS workers have also been asked to keep a vigil for pregnant women who are not being brought to the hospitals,” said an official at Deganga village in North 24 Parganas.
The crackdown started after the CM claimed on September 7 that about 60,000 underage child births were reported in the State in the first half of 2026.
The police has slapped Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in numerous cases.
“Though this cannot be immediately concluded, all angles should be kept in view, from low financial status and insecurity compelling people to marry off their minor girls to communal so as to impact demography,” said a senior official requesting anonymity.
The political establishment too remained tight-lipped on the issue, placing reliance on “outcomes of police investigation,” though a couple of MLAs from border districts of the State claimed that a number of cases that had been filed in Murshidabad, Malda and two 24 Parganas.
According to sources, about 13,000 cases of underage marriage and childbirth had been registered from Murshidabad district alone, which accounts for 70 per cent of population belonging to a particular community, sources said.
According to reports, 25 criminal cases were filed in Purulia in a window of 48 hours preceding September 20. This included eight cases filed under the POCSO Act, 2012 and 7 under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Besides, 10 cases were registered at Deben Mahato Medical College and Hospital. Arrests were also made at Gokaran in South 24 Parganas, Farakka, West Midnapore, East Midnapore and other places, sources said, adding the Government had instructed to conduct “door-to-door” drives to find out legal deviations.
Besides criminal prosecution, the Government was also contemplating cutting of social welfare benefits, sources said.
