Latest news with #AndamanandNicobarPolice
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Yahoo
American YouTuber arrested for bringing Diet Coke to isolated Indian island
An American YouTuber was arrested by Indian authorities after he allegedly snuck onto a remote island untouched by the modern world, bringing with him a coconut and a can of Diet Coke as an offering for an isolated tribe that lives there. Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov is accused of using an inflatable boat to illegally travel to North Sentinel Island, a land mass located in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago 750 miles from the Indian mainland. All outsiders — Indians and foreigners alike — are banned from traveling within 3 miles of the island, a rule implemented in a bid to protect its native Sentinelese tribe, believed to be made up of 150 people. Polyakov, armed with his GoPro and gifts, arrived on the northeastern side island around 10 a.m. on March 29, according to the police. While it's not believed he made contact with the Sentinelese, the 24-year-old YouTuber recorded video and collected samples before leaving behind his offerings and departing the island, Jitendra Kumar Meena, head of criminal investigations for the Andaman and Nicobar Police, told CNN. A local fisherman spotted Polyakov as he sailed back to the mainland. He was arrested two days later when he returned to Port Blair, the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He has not yet been charged. 'We are aware of reports of the detention of a U.S. citizen in India,' said a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, without providing further comment on the matter. The incident comes seven years after an American missionary, John Allen Chau, traveled to the same island with a bible. He was fatally shot with arrows by tribesman awaiting him on the shoreline. His body has never been recovered.
CNN
04-04-2025
- CNN
US tourist arrested after allegedly attempting to contact ‘world's most isolated' tribe
An American tourist has been arrested after allegedly traveling to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal and attempting to contact one of the world's most isolated tribes. Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, made the illegal voyage to North Sentinel Island, home to the enigmatic Sentinelese tribe, on March 29, Indian police told CNN. North Sentinel Island is a land mass roughly the size of Manhattan in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, about 750 miles from the Indian mainland. Visiting the island is prohibited by Indian law to maintain the Sentinelese way of life and protect them from modern illnesses, from which they lack immunity. While Polyakov successfully reached the island, he does not appear to have made contact with the Sentinelese tribe, Jitendra Kumar Meena, head of the Andaman and Nicobar Police's Criminal Investigations Department told CNN. He was spotted by a local fisherman on his way back and arrested two days later, Meena said. Police seized an inflatable boat and motor from Polyakov. He has not yet been charged with any offenses. A spokesperson for the US State Department said 'we are aware of reports of the detention of a US citizen in India' in a statement to CNN but could not comment further on the case. It is not clear if Polyakov has retained a lawyer. The Sentinelese have only made contact with the modern world a handful of times and have been known to vigorously reject outsiders. Because the Sentinelese are so reclusive, it is difficult to know how many there are – estimates range from dozens to hundreds. Previous encounters with the tribe have proved fatal. In 2018, American missionary John Allen Chau was reportedly killed by tribespeople after he arrived on North Sentinel Island, hoping to convert the local people to Christianity. Polyakov is 'lucky he did not make contact otherwise he would have met the same fate,' Meena said. Caroline Pearce, Director of Survival International, a nonprofit dedicated to the protection of isolated tribal groups, called Polyakov's alleged actions 'reckless and idiotic.' 'This person's actions not only endangered his own life, they put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk,' Pearce said in a statement. 'It's very well known by now that uncontacted peoples have no immunity to common outside diseases like flu or measles, which could completely wipe them out,' she added. Polyakov planned his trip well in advance, visiting the Andaman islands twice before traveling to North Sentinel on his third visit, allegedly setting off from a beach about 25 miles away in South Andaman, Meena said. 'As per what he has revealed in the investigation so far, he said he is keen on adventures. He said he had left some soft drink bottles there for the tribe but we haven't found anything so far,' Meena said. Police have seized Polyakov's phone and GoPro, as well as a bottle of sand he allegedly collected from the island. A special investigation team is carrying out a search of the island from afar, on boats using binoculars, despite choppy waters the last couple of days, Meena said. There are more than 100 uncontacted tribes around the world, mainly in the Amazon rainforest, but the Sentinelese are 'the most isolated Indigenous people in the world,' according to Survival International. Most of what is known about them comes from boats moored more than an arrow's distance from the shore and from rare past encounters with authorities. The Sentinelese hunt in the rainforest and fish in the coastal waters using spears, bows and arrows, as well as homemade narrow outrigger canoes, according to Survival International. They are thought to live in three groups in both large communal huts and more informal shelters on the beach. First contact with the Sentinelese tribe was made by the British in the late 1800s, when, despite their attempts to hide, six individuals from the tribe were captured and taken to the main island of the Andaman Island archipelago. An Indian law from 1956 bans outsiders from traveling to North Sentinel and other islands in the archipelago home to Indigenous groups. Except for a brief, friendly interaction in the early 1990s, the Sentinelese have fiercely resisted contact with outsiders, even after disaster. In 2004, following the Asian tsunami that devastated the Andaman chain, a member of the tribe was photographed on a beach on the island, firing arrows at a helicopter sent to check on their welfare. Two years later, members of the tribe killed two poachers who had been illegally fishing in the waters surrounding North Sentinel Island after their boat drifted ashore, according to Survival International. Pearce, of Survival International, said India – which has built up military infrastructure on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in recent years in case of a confrontation with China – has a 'legal responsibility' to protect the Sentinelese people from missionaries, social media influencers, illegal fishers or anyone else. There have been other encounters with uncontacted tribes in recent years. In February, a young man from an isolated Indigenous tribe in Brazil made brief contact with the outside world before returning to the Amazon rainforest. In 2024, Survival International published rare images of the uncontacted Mashco Piro tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, reporting that the tribe was trying to evade loggers.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
US tourist arrested after allegedly attempting to contact ‘world's most isolated' tribe
An American tourist has been arrested after allegedly traveling to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal and attempting to contact one of the world's most isolated tribes. Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, made the illegal voyage to North Sentinel Island, home to the enigmatic Sentinelese tribe, on March 29, Indian police told CNN. North Sentinel Island is a land mass roughly the size of Manhattan in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, about 750 miles from the Indian mainland. Visiting the island is prohibited by Indian law to maintain the Sentinelese way of life and protect them from modern illnesses, from which they lack immunity. While Polyakov successfully reached the island, he does not appear to have made contact with the Sentinelese tribe, Jitendra Kumar Meena, head of the Andaman and Nicobar Police's Criminal Investigations Department told CNN. He was spotted by a local fisherman on his way back and arrested two days later, Meena said. Police seized an inflatable boat and motor from Polyakov. He has not yet been charged with any offenses. A spokesperson for the US State Department said 'we are aware of reports of the detention of a US citizen in India' in a statement to CNN but could not comment further on the case. It is not clear if Polyakov has retained a lawyer. The Sentinelese have only made contact with the modern world a handful of times and have been known to vigorously reject outsiders. Because the Sentinelese are so reclusive, it is difficult to know how many there are – estimates range from dozens to hundreds. Previous encounters with the tribe have proved fatal. In 2018, American missionary John Allen Chau was reportedly killed by tribespeople after he arrived on North Sentinel Island, hoping to convert the local people to Christianity. Polyakov is 'lucky he did not make contact otherwise he would have met the same fate,' Meena said. Caroline Pearce, Director of Survival International, a nonprofit dedicated to the protection of isolated tribal groups, called Polyakov's alleged actions 'reckless and idiotic.' 'This person's actions not only endangered his own life, they put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk,' Pearce said in a statement. 'It's very well known by now that uncontacted peoples have no immunity to common outside diseases like flu or measles, which could completely wipe them out,' she added. Polyakov planned his trip well in advance, visiting the Andaman islands twice before traveling to North Sentinel on his third visit, allegedly setting off from a beach about 25 miles away in South Andaman, Meena said. 'As per what he has revealed in the investigation so far, he said he is keen on adventures. He said he had left some soft drink bottles there for the tribe but we haven't found anything so far,' Meena said. Police have seized Polyakov's phone and GoPro, as well as a bottle of sand he allegedly collected from the island. A special investigation team is carrying out a search of the island from afar, on boats using binoculars, despite choppy waters the last couple of days, Meena said. There are more than 100 uncontacted tribes around the world, mainly in the Amazon rainforest, but the Sentinelese are 'the most isolated Indigenous people in the world,' according to Survival International. Most of what is known about them comes from boats moored more than an arrow's distance from the shore and from rare past encounters with authorities. The Sentinelese hunt in the rainforest and fish in the coastal waters using spears, bows and arrows, as well as homemade narrow outrigger canoes, according to Survival International. They are thought to live in three groups in both large communal huts and more informal shelters on the beach. First contact with the Sentinelese tribe was made by the British in the late 1800s, when, despite their attempts to hide, six individuals from the tribe were captured and taken to the main island of the Andaman Island archipelago. An Indian law from 1956 bans outsiders from traveling to North Sentinel and other islands in the archipelago home to Indigenous groups. Except for a brief, friendly interaction in the early 1990s, the Sentinelese have fiercely resisted contact with outsiders, even after disaster. In 2004, following the Asian tsunami that devastated the Andaman chain, a member of the tribe was photographed on a beach on the island, firing arrows at a helicopter sent to check on their welfare. Two years later, members of the tribe killed two poachers who had been illegally fishing in the waters surrounding North Sentinel Island after their boat drifted ashore, according to Survival International. Pearce, of Survival International, said India – which has built up military infrastructure on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in recent years in case of a confrontation with China – has a 'legal responsibility' to protect the Sentinelese people from missionaries, social media influencers, illegal fishers or anyone else. There have been other encounters with uncontacted tribes in recent years. In February, a young man from an isolated Indigenous tribe in Brazil made brief contact with the outside world before returning to the Amazon rainforest. In 2024, Survival International published rare images of the uncontacted Mashco Piro tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, reporting that the tribe was trying to evade loggers.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Pictured: The Tintin ‘danger tourist' who left Coke can for world's most isolated tribe
An American 'danger tourist' who models himself on Tintin faces up to five years in prison after illegally sailing to a remote island and leaving a can of Coke for the world's most dangerous and isolated tribe. Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, from North Goldwater, Arizona, tried to make contact with the reclusive indigenous inhabitants of North Sentinel Island, part of an Indian archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, which is off limits to visitors to protect the islanders' way of life. Indian police said Mr Polyakov travelled to the island in the early hours of Saturday morning using a makeshift craft to cross a 25-mile strait from Kurma Dera beach on South Andaman Island. 'This is it. The last uncontracted tribe. The last mystery. If they see me, will they attack? Or will they accept me?' his Go-Pro camera microphone recorded him whispering as he approached the forbidden island. After landing, he briefly stepped out of the boat, left a can of Coca-Cola and a coconut as offerings, collected some sand samples, and then departed. He returned to Kurma Dera Beach at 7pm, where fishermen spotted him and alerted the police. He was arrested and remains in custody. Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, director general of Andaman and Nicobar Police, said.'If found guilty, he may face three to five years in prison for breaching the law that prohibits unauthorised entry into the areas inhabited by protected tribes of North Sentinel Island.' This was not Mr Polyakov's first attempt to reach the Sentinelese, a pre-Neolithic people who have rebuffed all contact with the modern world, firing bows and arrows at passing helicopters and killing those landing ashore. In October 2024, he prepared a reconnaissance mission using an inflatable kayak but was stopped by hotel staff before he could launch. In the same month, he posted a cryptic image on his YouTube channel captioned 'A little Columbus Day teaser for the fans'. The image, a cartoon in the style of The Adventures of Tintin, showed a boy with a dog aboard a motorboat approaching an island resembling the one home to the Sentinelese. Mr Polyakov's YouTube channel, called 'Neo-Orientalist', revealed other risky adventures including exploring an abandoned US military base in Afghanistan. In another video taken during a three-week road trip in the Taliban-controlled country, he is seen brandishing an assault rifle alongside Islamist militants. In January, he returned to the Andaman archipelago, staying in the city of Port Blair while attempting to procure an outboard motor for a boat to make the illicit crossing. Around this time, he visited Baratang Island, where he illegally filmed the semi-nomadic Jarawa tribe before departing on January 27. In March, he returned to Port Blair. After fitting the motor to his boat at a workshop, he purchased fuel and checked into the Andaman Sunset View Resort. Over the following days, he meticulously studied sea conditions, tides and landing sites for the journey. On March 29, he launched his boat under the cover of darkness, carrying the coconut and Coca-Cola can he intended to give to the island's inhabitants. After nine hours at sea, he reached its northeastern shore. Using binoculars, he scanned the area but saw no signs of life. He then filmed himself wading onto the beach and placing his offerings on the sand. The video, later recovered by police, captures him exclaiming: 'I have landed here. I am a solo traveller. No one has landed here before. This is anti-climactic. No one has done this before.' He remained offshore for an hour blowing a whistle in an attempt to attract attention, but received no response. After three hours, he began his return journey, reaching Kurma Dera beach by 7pm where he was spotted by fishermen. Authorities said he used GPS to navigate seas around the island, they said. After his arrest on March 31, authorities confiscated Mr Polyakov's passport, mobile phone and Go-Pro camera. 'The unauthorised entry into the North Sentinel Island is not just a breach of Indian law, but a serious threat to the safety of the both Sentinelese and the individuals involved,' Mr Dhaliwal said. 'Any unlawful attempt to enter restricted tribal areas will be met with strict legal consequences,' he added. Mr Polyakov told police that he was drawn to the island due to his passion for adventure and his desire to undertake extreme challenges, as well as by the allure of the mysterious Sentinelese. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
03-04-2025
- Telegraph
Pictured: The Tintin ‘danger tourist' who left Coke can for world's most isolated tribe
An American 'danger tourist' who models himself on Tintin faces up to five years in prison after illegally sailing to a remote island and leaving a can of Coke for the world's most dangerous and isolated tribe. Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, from North Goldwater, Arizona, tried to make contact with the reclusive indigenous inhabitants of North Sentinel Island, an Indian archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, which is off limits to visitors to protect the islanders' way of life. Indian police said Mr Polyakov travelled to the island in the early hours of Saturday morning using a makeshift craft to cross a 25-mile strait from Kurma Dera beach on South Andaman Island. 'This is it. The last uncontracted tribe. The last mystery. If they see me, will they attack? Or will they accept me?' his Go-Pro camera microphone caught him whispering as he approached the forbidden island. After landing ashore, he briefly stepped out of the boat, left a can of Coca-Cola and a coconut as offerings, collected some sand samples, and then departed. He returned to Kurma Dera Beach at 7pm, where local fishermen spotted him and alerted the police. He was arrested and remains in custody. Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, director general of Andaman and Nicobar Police, said.'If found guilty, he may face three to five years in prison for breaching the law that prohibits unauthorised entry into the areas inhabited by protected tribes of North Sentinel Island.' This was not Mr Polyakov's first attempt to reach the Sentinelese, a pre-Neolithic people who have rebuffed all contact with the modern world, firing bows and arrows at passing helicopters and killing those landing ashore. In October 2024, he prepared a reconnaissance mission using an inflatable kayak but was stopped by local hotel staff before he could launch. In the same month, he posted a cryptic image on his YouTube channel captioned, 'A little Columbus Day teaser for the fans'. The image, a cartoon in the style of The Adventures of Tintin, showed a boy with a dog aboard a motorboat approaching an island resembling the one home to the Sentinelese. Mr Polyakov's YouTube channel, called 'Neo-Orientalist', revealed other risky adventures including exploring an abandoned US military base in Afghanistan. In another video taken during a three-week road trip in the Taliban-controlled country, he is seen brandishing an assault rifle alongside Islamic militants. In January, he returned to the Andaman archipelago, staying in the city of Port Blair while attempting to procure an outboard motor for a boat to make the illicit crossing. Around this time, he visited Baratang Island, where he illegally filmed the semi-nomadic Jarawa tribe before departing on January 27. In March, he returned to Port Blair to begin his most audacious expedition. After fitting the motor to his boat at a local workshop, he purchased fuel and checked into the Andaman Sunset View Resort. Over the following days, he meticulously studied sea conditions, tides and landing sites in preparing for the journey. On March 29, he launched his boat under the cover of darkness, carrying only the coconut and Coca-Cola can he intended to give to the island's inhabitants. After nine hours at sea, he reached its northeastern shore. Using binoculars, he scanned the area but saw no signs of life. He then filmed himself wading onto the beach and placing his offerings on the sand. The video, later recovered by police, captures him exclaiming: 'I have landed here. I am a solo traveller. No one has landed here before. This is anti-climactic. No one has done this before.' He remained offshore for an hour blowing a whistle in an attempt to attract attention, but received no response. After three hours, he began his return journey, reaching Kurma Dera beach by 7 pm where he was spotted by local fishermen. Authorities said his journey was meticulously planned, with the American having studied sea conditions, tides and access points. He used GPS to navigate seas around the island, they said. After his arrest on March 31, authorities confiscated Mr Polyakov's passport, mobile phone, and Go-Pro camera. 'The unauthorised entry into the North Sentinel Island is not just a breach of Indian law, but a serious threat to the safety of the both Sentinelese and the individuals involved,' Mr Dhaliwal said. 'Any unlawful attempt to enter restricted tribal areas will be met with strict legal consequences,' he added. Mr Polyakov told police that he was drawn to the island due to his passion for adventure and his desire to undertake extreme challenges, as well as by the allure of the mysterious Sentinelese.
