Kolkata, September 7, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a stringent crackdown on child marriage and teenage pregnancies, saying husbands of girls who become mothers before attaining 18 years of age will face prosecution under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Addressing the media in Kolkata on Monday, Adhikari said the state government would initiate suo motu cases in such instances and take legal action against those responsible.
“Now West Bengal is notorious in terms of child marriage and childbirth before the age of 18. The previous Trinamool Congress government is responsible for this. So, henceforth, strong legal action will be taken under the POCSO Act against the husbands of girls who conceive before the age of 18,” he said.
Adhikari said offenders could face imprisonment of up to 20 years and would also be deprived of government opportunities and social welfare benefits.
He said priests and qazis who solemnise marriages involving underage brides and grooms would also face action, while the administration would proceed against the guardians concerned.
According to figures provided by the state Health Department, around 60,000 girls below the age of 18 became mothers between January 1, 2016, and June 30, 2026, Adhikari said.
Murshidabad recorded the highest number, with 12,847 girls becoming mothers before turning 18 during the period. South 24 Parganas followed with 4,178 such cases.
Adhikari said provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, address the prevention of child marriage. He acknowledged the scale of the problem while stressing that the government would proceed with arrests and enforcement measures.
“The number of child marriages is so high that there are not even enough jails in the state to house all those who are guilty on this count. But still, we will not allow this to continue. We will make arrests. We have to stop all these social evils. We will launch a bigger campaign on this issue in the coming days,” he said.
The announcement comes as the state government steps up efforts to identify and prevent underage marriages and pregnancies through stronger enforcement and administrative action.
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