Minor Tribal Girl’s Alleged Marriage to Anowar in Remote Tripura Sparks Outrage: She Identified Him as “Sujit” While Living With Him and Five Other Muslim Men

Contradictions, a Suspected Minor and an Unexplained Marriage

Investigating reports of an alleged child marriage, journalists from Assam News Flash found a man identified as Anowar living with a local Hindu Tripuri girl who appeared to be a minor in Thinang Ni Chati under Rupaichari of  South Tripura on October 6th. Anowar claimed that he had married the girl three months earlier.

After being contacted over phone, Anowar’s father claimed that he had attended the marriage but could not recall when or where it had taken place. More astonishingly, he could not remember the name of the woman their relative had supposedly married.

Further questioning revealed that the girl was only 15 years old, potentially bringing the case under India’s laws prohibiting child marriage and protecting minors from sexual exploitation. Alarmingly, the minor girl was staying with Anowar and five other Muslim men. When asked to identify her supposed husband, she gave the name “Sujit,” a Hindu name that appeared inconsistent with the identity presented by Anowar. The journalists subsequently spoke at length with the girl and her relatives.

Anowar claimed to be a resident of Saikhowa village in Tinsukia district, Upper Assam. His background, the marriage claim and the girl’s circumstances all warrant independent verification by the relevant authorities.

Rupaichari Deserves Answers, Not Silence

Rupaichari, a remote region in southern Tripura bordering Bangladesh on three sides, deserves particular attention because of its geographical vulnerability and the challenges of policing isolated settlements. According to the 2011 Census, Hindus constituted approximately 83 per cent of the local population, while Christians accounted for around five per cent.

Local sources have also alleged that Anowar may be an undocumented immigrant from Bangladesh. That allegation remains unverified and must be investigated through lawful procedures rather than treated as established fact.

Authorities must urgently verify the alleged marriage, assess her safety, examine the identities and immigration status of those involved and take appropriate action if offences are substantiated.