Port Blair: Cracking the whip, the Andaman &
Nicobar police on Sunday warned tour operators of stern action
if they resort to `Jarawa tourism` by offering tourists any
glimpse of the near extinct tribe as part of their package.
This follows advertisements appearing on the Internet
about agents, tour operators and drivers offering such
packages to woo tourists.
Police will take stringent action against such operators
and practices, DGP SB Deol said. He said the word `Jarawa`
appearing on the website of any tour advertisement would lead
to an immediate case being registered and arrests of those
concerned.
A controversy had erupted last Wednesday over a video
footage showing semi-naked Jarawa tribal women in the islands
allegedly being ordered to dance before tourists prompting the
Centre to seek a report from the Union Territory.
Police today said a tourist from West Bengal has been
detained for video-graphing two men of the tribe on the
Andaman Trunk Road, a key road of the islands, while
travelling from Middle Strait to Port Blair on Friday.
The tourist was detained at Jirkatang check post and his
camera seized. There were two footages in the featuring a
couple of Jarawa men walking on the Andaman Trunk Road, police
said. He was let off with a warning.
Deol said drivers and tour operators would be held
responsible for any contact of the tourists with the Jarawas,
or any infringement of rules.
Police personnel in the guise of tourists and genuine
tourists would be used to catch the agents, operators and
drivers offering `Jarawa tourism`, he said.
Possession of video clips of Jarawa tribals will lead
to immediate arrest, the statement said.
PTI
