DJ Venkatesh & Muralidhan Pillai
Mayabunder, Mar 20: Two cops who had entered inside Jarawa Tribal Reserve Forest have been reportedly placed under suspension, a day after they were arrested and were later bailed out from Mayabunder Police Station.
On Sunday a criminal case was registered under (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956 (PAT) against two police constables of Andaman and Nicobar Police for entering inside Jarawa Reserve Forest illegally.
As per initial inputs the case has been registered by AAJVS – Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti staffs and in their complaint they alleged that these two police jawans had entered inside Jarawa Reserve Forest with nearly six civilians and with two Air Guns for hunting bats.
Both police Jawans posted at Chainpur Outpost reportedly went upto Garjan Tikrey area, near Luis Inlet Bay, with civilian hunting team, where an AAJVS staff saw them and later the matter was reported to the superior officers, following which FIR was registered.
Two large forest areas in South Andaman and Middle Andaman have been reserved for jarawa tribes as Jarawa Reserve Forest and entering inside the forest or interacting with Jarawa is a serious crime in Andaman.
But the Jarawa Reserve Forest often attracts poachers because of the abundance of forest resources inside the forest.
Although top Police Officials of North Andaman region were not reachable for a comment but sources have now confirmed that both the police jawans have been kept under suspension by the Department and have been sent to police line, Port Blair.
