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