Journal of American killed in Andaman island analysed; team formed to retrieve his body

A team of police personnel is being sent to the North Sentinel Island waters while experts are preparing a strategy.

John Allen Chau (Right); Pic Courtesy: PTI

The Andaman and Nicobar police has begun attempts to retrieve the body of American national John Allen Chau, who was allegedly killed on the isolated North Sentinel Island by members of the reclusive Sentinelese tribe. While the police have involved anthropologists and experts in their search, they have also decided to analyse the journal of the US national, who reportedly ventured to the island to preach Christianity.

According to Andaman and Nicobar Director General of Police Dependra Pathak, a team of police personnel is also being sent to the North Sentinel Island waters. At least seven persons, who allegedly helped Chau reach the island, have been arrested till now, of which three have been sent to seven-day police custody.

News agency PTI reported that Anthropological Survey of India experts, forest department, academicians and state tribal welfare department officials have been roped in by the police to prepare a plan to reach the place where Chau died, and look for his body.

The access to North Sentinel Island and its buffer zone is strictly restricted under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribe (Regulation), 1956 and Regulations under Indian Forest Act, 1927.

In the journal penned by Chau, he gave an account of his venture to the prohibited island thanking his mother and god for helping him hide from coast guard and navy patrols. "The mother and god himself helped shielding us from coast guard and navy patrols," read a noting in the journal. It also talks about Chau successfully reaching the shore of the island with friends and waiting to make contact with them.

Meanwhile, some reports have said that Chau went to the island with an intention to preach Christianity and was preparing for the same for over three years. Daily Mail quoted a friend of Chau as saying that the deceased US national believed that he had a message from a “higher authority”, in a reference to God, to visit the island and convert the members of the Sentinelese tribe to Christianity.

Chau believed that he would have helped the people living on the isolated island by preaching Christianity to them.

The police have said that Chau gave Rs 25,000 to local fishermen to help him reach the island.

"In the morning of November 17, they saw a dead person being buried at the shore which from the silhouette of the body, clothing and circumstances appeared to be the body of Chau," the DGP had said on Wednesday, defining the circumstances leading to Chau's death.

(With PTI inputs)