DISPUR A crackdown on illegal child marriages in India 's northeast has resulted in nearly 5,000 arrests, after 416 people were detained in the latest police sweep, a minister said on Dec. 22. "We will continue to take bold steps to end this social evil," Himanta Biswa Sarma, chief minister of Assam state, said in a statement. "Assam continues its fight against child marriage ," he added, saying raids have been carried out overnight and that those arrested were to be produced in court yesterday.