Guwahati Dec 22 (PTI): Four hundred and sixteen people have been arrested in the third phase of the crackdown against child marriage in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Sunday.

The crackdown was launched on the night of December 21-22, he said.

The police have registered 335 cases and the arrested will be produced in court on Sunday.

''Assam continues its fight against child marriage. In Phase 3 operations launched on the night of Dec 21-22, 416 arrests were made and 335 cases registered. The arrested individuals will be produced in court today. We will continue to take bold steps to end this social evil'', the chief minister posted on X.

The state government had launched a drive against child marriage in two phases in February and October in 2023.

In the first phase in February, 3,483 people were arrested and 4,515 cases registered while 915 people were arrested and 710 cases registered in the second phase in October.

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Sambhal: An excavation team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has unearthed an ancient stepwell, or 'baoli,' in the Chandausi area of Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district. This discovery follows the reopening of a Shiv-Hanuman temple in the district after 46 years.

District Magistrate Rajendra Pensiya confirmed the findings, stating that the baoli spans approximately 400 square metres and includes four chambers, with marble floors on the second and third levels and brick construction on the upper floors.

"The excavation revealed a structure recorded as Ah-Baoli Talab, believed to date back over 150 years to the era of the grandfather of Bilari's king. The Nagar Palika team is actively removing topsoil, and around 210 square metres have been uncovered so far, while the remaining area remains encroached. Steps will be taken to clear the encroachments and fully unearth the structure," Pensiya said.

Krishna Kumar Sonkar, Executive Officer of the Municipal Corporation, stated that the excavation began promptly after reports of the underground structure. "We are committed to restoring the baoli and uncovering all its details as the work progresses," Sonkar added.

In a separate development, an ASI team conducted a detailed survey of five shrines and 19 wells across Sambhal, inspecting 24 areas, including the recently reopened ancient temple. The survey, which lasted 8-10 hours, aims to provide a comprehensive report on the district's historical sites.

Efforts to preserve and restore these structures continue, highlighting the rich cultural and historical heritage of Sambhal.