A massive hunt has been launched by the Andaman Nicobar administration to nab the persons responsible for videographing semi-naked Jarawa tribal women dancing in front of tourists as the Centre sent the footage for forensic analysis.
Andaman Police on Thursday registered a case against unknown persons in connection with the shooting and uploading of a video under the Indian Penal Code, Information and Technology Act, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes and Protection of Aboriginal Tribes.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said, “Now we have got a copy of a video, we have subjected that video to an analysis. It appears that particular video was shot, I am not talking about any other video, may be there is more than one...that particular video we have been able to date it and its about 3-4 years ago.”
He said instructions have been issued to the Andaman and Nicobar administration to quickly apprehend the videographer and the tour operator concerned and interrogate them.
“Whatever policy has been adopted by the Andaman and Nicobar administration is in place. I think what happened was a violation of that policy,” Mr. Chidambaram said.
Andaman and Nicobar Police have formed a special team led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police which will seek help of cyber cell of central agencies in cracking the computer from where it has been hosted.
The issue had sparked controversy when London-based newspaper “Observor” reported the alleged incident and also uploaded a video.
The case has been registered under section 292 of Indian Penal Code (showing obscene material), section 67 of IT act (Publishing of information which is obscene in electronic form), section 3 (2) of Schedule Caste and Scheduled Tribes (forces a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe to drink or eat any inedible or obnoxious substance).
The case has also been registered under section 7 (entering buffer zone for commercial activities) and section 8 (promoting tourism activities through any advertisement about Jarawa tribes) of Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act.
