Eight Jarawa girls rescued in Andamans, abductors arrested

Eight Jarawa girls were rescued from two remote creeks in Andaman and Nicobar Islands after they were kidnapped by a group of men from a Jarawa Reserve Zone last week, the police said today.

Seven kidnappers were arrested in this connection, South Andaman Superintendent of Police Chinmoy Biswal told PTI.

The abductors were apprehended by Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti(AAJVS), the apex welfare body of the Jarawas, and the police from Hiren Tikry, an island north of the Jarawa Reserve Area.

During a joint patrolling in the reserve area on January 16, AAJVS and the police team were informed that some men had come to Tirur in South Andaman, where the Jarawa Reserve area begins and had taken away the Jarawa girls in two motorised dinghies.

On receiving the information, the AAJVS and police team launched a drive and locate the four Jarawa girls along with four abductors in a dinghy in Hiren Tikry area.

On seeing the police and AAJVS party, the men tried to flee but all of them were apprehended.

The same patrolling party proceeded to another place at Hiren Tikry area on January 17 where they traced the abductors in another dinghy.

The Jarawas accompanying the joint patrolling party became agitated and started beating the abductors. However, the patrolling party managed to control them and apprehended the abductors.

One of the Jarawas, called out his daughter’s name and on hearing his voice, four Jarawa girls came out of the creek.

The Jarawa girls were sent alongwith other accompanying Jarawas, to Jhaokona (Jarawa Reserve) area in a separate dinghy.

On the basis of complaint by Pronob Kr. Sircar, Tribal Welfare Officer, two cases were registered.

The men were charged with abduction and encroachment under the Andaman and Nicibar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation , 1956 and also under SC/ST Act.

AAJVS sources said the Jarawas, one of the island's threatened tribes, are 417 in number.