Two villagers from South Andaman were arrested by the police today for inviting a 26-year-old Jarawa youth to consume alcohol with them at their village.
The incident came to light when a police night patrol found the youth Kunnu coming out from the house of a villager carrying a bottle of alcohol, police sources said.
The two villagers have been arrested by the police and a case has been registered by the Station House Officer, Ograbraj under relevant provisions in the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act).
The Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti along with the police are intensifying the joint patrolling to prevent such incidents.
Vulnerable tribal groups, including Jarawas, are protected under the Andaman & Nicobar (Protection of Aboriginal Tribe) Regulations, 1956 and by subsequent amendments and under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989).
Any infringement of the regulation and any unlawful entry into the Tribal Reserve Area without authority, interaction with the tribes, providing alcohol, tobacco invites penalty of imprisonment which may extend to seven years and fine of Rs 10,000.
Further, forcing a member of the SC/ST community to drink or eat any inedible or obnoxious substance etc will also attract penalty of imprisonment which may extend to five years with fine under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989).
