Jarawa women video shot in Sept-Oct 2008

The controversial video showing semi-naked Jarawa tribe women dancing before tourists was shot sometime in September-October 2008 and the police sought the help of the Defence establishment in ascertaining the identity of the man shown in the film in Army fatigue.

According to sources privy to the probe, the police sought the help of Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti, the interface between the local administration and tribals, which helped identify the dancing women and children.

The members of AAJVS could establish the identity after talking to the tribal people who had danced in front of the tourists and that the video was shot sometime in September-October 2008.

The police had expanded the pixels of the video to help the members of AAJVS identify the tribal people and later various teams of the Samiti fanned into the jungles of South Andaman to trace them, the sources said.

The issue had sparked controversy when London-based newspaper Observer reported the incident and also uploaded a video and a recorded conversation between the journalist of

the newspaper and a purported travel agent.

The police also sought the help of Defence officials in the islands to help identify the man who appeared in Army dress on the video.

Andaman Police registered a case on January 12 against unnamed persons in connection with the shooting and uploading of the video under the Indian Penal Code, Information  and Technology Act and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes and Protection of Aboriginal Tribes.

Andaman and Nicobar Police have also approached National Technical Research Organisation, which deals with cyber intelligence, for detecting the computer from where the controversial footage was uploaded.

Under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act, taking pictures or video shooting of tribals is banned. The police are also trying to identify the voice of a purported travel agent whose telephone conversation with a British journalist has been uploaded.

The Centre has already cleared Andaman Trunk Road to connect the Northern part of the island with the southern part. Some portion of the road passes through the jungles of

South Andaman where 383-member Jarawa tribe was located.

Police have formed a special team led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police which will seek the help of cyber cell of central agencies in cracking the computer from where it has been hosted.

Police had also asked London-based daily The Observer, which claimed in its report that a policeman had taken bribe to make the tribal, especially women, dance, has also been asked to apologise to the local police.

The newspaper, the statement said, was also asked to name the videographer so that legal action could be initiated against him for recording and releasing the video thereby lowering the dignity of the members of Jarawa tribe.