US citizen killed by a ‘protected’ Andaman tribe

An American national has been killed by the indigenous Sentinelese tribe in the North Sentinel Island, in the southern Andamans.

27-year-old John Allen Chau had expressed a desire to meet the Sentinelese tribe, which is known to resist all contact with outsiders, often firing arrows to ward off intruders.

The American had visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands five times earlier, too. In fact, according to one account, Chau was "a preacher" and interesting in converting the Sentinelese people.

The fishermen who had escorted Chau told the police that they last saw the American when he came under attack -- a flurry of arrows -- after he landed on the island.

The members of the tribe dragged the American to the beach and moments later, as they were sailing away, the fishermen saw Chau's body half-buried in sand.

A case of culpable homicide has been registered, and the fishermen who took Chau to the island have been arrested. Until recently, the North Sentinel Island was out of bounds for visitors. In a major step earlier this year, the government had excluded this island and 28 others in the Union Territory from the Restricted Area Permit regime till December 31, 2022. The lifting of RAP meant that foreigners could visit these islands without permission from the government.

The strategic Andaman and Nicobar Islands is not only home to protected tribes, but also has a large presence of the defence forces with sensitive installations. A source told AFP: Chau tried to reach the Sentinel Island on November 14 but could not make it. Two days later he went well prepared. He left the dingy midway and took a canoe all by himself to the island. Once they reached Port Blair, the fishermen narrated the incident to a local preacher, Alex, who was a friend of Chau. The local preacher then alerted the dead man's family in the US, who immediately contacted the US embassy in New Delhi for help. The authorities in the Union Territory have sent helicopter search teams to look for the body.