Assam CID arrests 7 in major online Child Abuse crackdown

In a significant operation against online child sexual abuse, the Assam Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested seven individuals on January 29, 2026 , from six districts across the state. The arrests followed a coordinated effort with district police units, based on intelligence from the Cyber Tipline , a centralised system that monitors and reports Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on social media and websites.

Those arrested include Dulu Boruah (34), Raju Dutta (30), and Priyam Handique from Golaghat district; Hemanta Kalita from Kamrup Metropolitan; Minhaz Khan from Kamrup; Aychan Ali Ahmed from Barpeta; and Deluwar Hussain from Bajali. All are adults and have been booked under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology (IT) Act for producing, possessing, and circulating abusive content involving minors.

Authorities seized several mobile phones and other digital devices containing extensive CSEAM material, including videos and images depicting children in exploitative situations. Investigations are ongoing to assess the full scale of the content and any networks involved. While no victims have been publicly identified so far , officials are actively working to trace and safeguard children represented in the material.

A senior CID officer stated, “We will leave no stone unturned in dismantling these networks and ensuring that those who exploit children online are brought to justice.” The officer also highlighted the role of advanced digital forensics and real-time support from cyber crime coordination teams in facilitating the arrests.

Under Section 67B of the IT Act , creating or transmitting sexually explicit material involving children carries penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment and fines up to ₹10 lakh, with harsher consequences for repeat offences. The POCSO Act further criminalises storing, propagating, or distributing child pornography, with punishments ranging from up to three years’ imprisonment and fines, which increase if commercial intent is involved.

The Assam Police urged the public to report any suspected child exploitation through official channels, emphasizing their zero-tolerance approach toward online abuse and exploitation of minors.