Andaman death: Officials fail to spot body, tap experts

NEW DELHI : The closest that the Andaman and Nicobar police could come to the North Sentinel Island, separated by water and cut off from the world for centuries, on Thursday in an effort to retrieve the body of an American national was 700 metres.

The island is home to the last tribe in the world that has never been contacted: the Sentinelese, an estimated group of 40-200 that has survived for centuries by hunting, fishing and collecting wild plants. On November 16, John Allen Chau, 26 was killed by the tribesmen when he set foot on the island, assisted by a group of fishermen.

Based on a fisherman’s statement, police fear Chau may have been killed, but are yet to recover his body. Police have arrested the seven men who helped him reach the restricted island.

The police are now roping in anthropologists and experts on primitive tribes in an effort to understand the behaviour of the Sentinelese.

“After talking to experts, who have worked with the tribals here, we tried to watch them from a distance and study their behaviour after the murder. They did not come out on the beach. This could be a pattern after the feared murder,” said a senior police officer, who did not want to be named.

For about three hours on Thursday, the police and coast guard officials watched the beach where Chau was killed by an arrow, the official added.

According to director general of police Dependra Pathak, reconnaissance missions from sea and air did not spot Chau’s body. “We are planning to rope in experts in anthropology, forest and tribal welfare. They may formulate a strategy,” he added.

C Raghu, the head of Anthropological Survey of India’s regional office in Port Blair, said that they were yet to be contacted but would extend any help if asked. “Chau violated the law and risked his life. Even we, who have studied the Sentinelese for decades, do not dare to venture there,” he said.

For now, the efforts will be John Allen Chau first entered the North Sentinel Island on Nov 15.

On his first day, he came face to face with the tribesmen. They shot an arrow at him.

He wrote about his visit and left his notes with the fishermen. He returned to North Sentinel on Nov 16. Chau arrived in the Andamans on Oct 16 and stayed on another island while he prepared to travel to North Sentinel

He is believed to have been killed on Nov 16.

restricted to scouting the island from afar. According to the source quoted above, police have secured custody of some of the fishermen who helped Chau reach the island and saw him be killed. “We will try to go at least 500m near the island tomorrow. On Thursday, those untouched residents did not come to the beach the whole day. Experts have told us that this is a pattern. Previously too, after the deaths, they have not come to the beach for weeks,” the officer said.

Pathak too said surveys by police in the morning did not reveal anything. “After more than a decade, an outsider had managed to sneak into their territory,” he said.

Other officials in the Andaman police, who spoke to HT over phone, said Chau’s feared murder was the first of its kind. “Never before have I come across such a case. Legally we can go, but issue here is about sensitivity. They have never been in touch with outsiders,” a senior officer said.

On Wednesday, Chau’s family asked for the release of those who were arrested.

Pathak said that while the police respected the family’s wishes, they will follow the law and prosecute those arrested.