Bus hits Jarawa-man in Andaman island Trunk Road

Jirkatang (Middle Andaman), Sept 29: A male member of the primitive tribal community, Jarawa, was injured when a bus hit him while it was passing through the Jarawa Reserve Forest.

The accident occurred in Middle Andaman region, 15 kms away from Jirkatang Police outpost, and the driver of the bus was arrested immediately, Andaman's Superintendent of Police Jaspal Singh told UNI today.

Andaman Trunk Road, considered to be the vital lifeline of Andaman group of island and about 340 km long, connects Port Blair with Diglipur, the northern part of Andaman archipelago.

The road- which cut through Jarawa Reserve Forest - has been in news because of the presence of the Jarawa tribe. In recent years, Jarawas have started emerging from the forest on to the ATR begging for food.

Jaspal Singh said the tribal was sent to nearby Government hospital for treatment.

The police superintendent said that this is first such incident in ATR this year when a Jarawa member was injured by any vehicle.

The Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) was built in the 1980's to connect Port Blair with Mayabunder in middle Andaman and later the road was extended to Diglipur, the northern most inhabited island.

NGOs, tribal activists and Jarawa experts across the world are demanding since last few years to close down the section of ATR, which cuts through the Jarawa Reserve Forest.

Nearly 200 members of primitive tribal community, Jarawa, lives in Jarawa Reserve Forest situated in Middle Andaman Region. The hunter-gathered tribal community, once hostile, now could be often seen in ATR begging for food and cloths.

UNI