Aboriginal tribal woman set ablaze in Andaman

Port Blair, July 3 (UNI) An aboriginal tribal woman of Andaman and Nicobar islands has been set ablaze by a man here, police said today. ''The accused had already been arrested by the police on charges of attempt to murder and we were carrying out further investigation,'' Superintendent of Police in Andaman Ashok Chand told UNI this afternoon.

According to reports, tribal woman Nu sustained 60 per cent burn injuries and was admitted in GB Pant Hospital here.

Mr Chand said that the tribal lady from the Great Andamanese Tribal community, one of the six tribal groups of the remote archipelago was presently fighting for her life.

Police added that a local man Dayanandu of Port Blair, working in Andaman PWD, poured petrol on the woman and set her on fire.

According to reports, the accused knew the woman for quite some time.

The incident took place on Saturnday inside Basera Niwas, where the Great Andamanese tribal people live.

''This is a very serious issue. In the day time, there is a guard for the tribal people but during evening hours there is no one for their protection outside the Basera Niwas,'' Samir Acharya, the secretary of Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology told UNI