In an unexpected incident, a 24-year-old American man has been arrested for illegally entering one of the most restricted and mysterious places on Earth: North Sentinel Island. Located specifically within the Andaman Islands, this remote island is home to the Sentinelese, an uncontacted tribe that has fiercely resisted any interaction with the outside world for centuries.
The accused, identified as Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, was detained by Indian authorities on March 31 for attempting to enter the prohibited area without authorisation. According to a PTI report, his journey to the island reportedly began on March 26 when he arrived in Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. From there, he went to the island via Khurmadera Beach, despite strict government regulations prohibiting such trespassing.
Following a complaint filed by the Tribal Welfare Officer of Tirur, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested Polyakov for violating protected area regulations. Before this, in 2018, American missionary John Allen Chau was killed by the Sentinelese after he attempted to make contact with them.
This latest incident has once again brought Sentinelese into the limelight and their lifestyle as the world's most isolated tribes.
Who are the Sentinelese?
The Sentinelese, also called Sentineli or the North Sentinel Islanders, are among the last uncontacted tribes in the world, residing in complete isolation on North Sentinel Island, a part of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. Anthropologists believe that the Sentinelese have lived on the island for thousands of years, surviving as hunter-gatherers.
Sentinelese reportedly rely on hunting, fishing, and gathering natural resources to sustain themselves. Unlike many other indigenous groups, they have not adopted agriculture and maintain a simple but effective way of life. The tribe's population remains uncertain, with estimates ranging between 50 and 200 individuals.
Due to their isolation, they lack immunity to modern diseases, making any external contact potentially fatal for their survival. This vulnerability is one of the key reasons the Indian government has enforced a strict no-contact policy, declaring North Sentinel Island a protected area and banning travel within three marine miles of its shores.
Why is the Island off-limits?
In 1956, the Indian government officially recognised the need to protect the Sentinelese people from outside interference and declared the island a tribal reserve. Since then, strict measures have been implemented to prevent any intrusion, including armed patrols in the surrounding waters. Photography and direct interaction with the tribe are also strictly prohibited.
Despite these protections, the Sentinelese continue to capture global curiosity, with occasional incidents like the one involving Polyakov serving as a stark reminder of the dangers of attempting contact with them.
