Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, 26 June announced that the state government has intensified its campaign against quack doctors, with authorities registering 59 cases and arresting 62 fake medical practitioners across the state since 2025. The drive, framed under the hashtag #AssamAgainstQuacks, is part of a broader law enforcement push targeting what the Chief Minister has described as social evils endangering public safety.

Scale of the Crackdown

According to figures shared by Sarma, state police and health authorities have collectively registered 59 cases against alleged quack doctors and made 62 arrests in the ongoing operation. The campaign targets individuals posing as qualified medical professionals without valid credentials or licences, who allegedly put patients at risk through illegal and unsafe treatment practices.

Sarma stated the government's intent clearly: 'We're committed to weeding out all forms of evil from our society. After an extensive crackdown on drug syndicates and child marriage offenders, we're on a mission to act against quack doctors to ensure the sanctity of our healthcare system and protect patients.'

Part of a Wider Law and Order Push

The anti-quackery drive is the latest in a series of enforcement campaigns launched by the Assam government over the past several years. The state administration has previously conducted large-scale operations against drug trafficking networks, the illegal narcotics trade, and child marriage — all areas where Chief Minister Sarma has personally championed strict enforcement as a public safety imperative.

Notably, this is the third major social-evil crackdown the Sarma government has publicly highlighted, suggesting a deliberate pattern of high-visibility law enforcement to signal governance intent ahead of electoral cycles.

What Authorities Are Targeting

Officials have confirmed that the crackdown will continue statewide and that those found practising medicine without recognised qualifications will face stringent legal action under applicable provisions of law. The government has not yet specified which legal sections are being invoked, but the arrests indicate active coordination between police and health department officials.

The campaign also carries a public awareness dimension: the Assam government has urged citizens to seek treatment only from registered medical practitioners and to report suspected cases of fraudulent medical practice to the authorities. Officials have said that public cooperation will be critical to sustaining the drive's momentum.

Impact on Healthcare Safety

Quackery — the practice of medicine by unqualified individuals — remains a persistent problem across several Indian states, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas where access to registered doctors is limited. In Assam, the crackdown signals a recognition that unregulated medical practice poses a direct threat to patient safety and erodes trust in the broader healthcare system.

With 59 cases registered and 62 arrests made so far, the state's enforcement record is among the more active in the country on this issue. Whether the legal actions translate into convictions and lasting deterrence will be the longer-term test of the campaign's effectiveness.