An officer reported on February 18 that the bodies of six suspected poachers from Myanmar had been discovered on the isolated island of Narcondam in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The official stated that it seems the poachers ran out of ration and perished on the little volcanic island from starvation and dehydration.
They were unable to return because the small boat they had taken to the island had encountered some difficulties.
On Saturday, the bodies were discovered in a forest on the small island of Narcondam, a few meters from the coast.
Located in the easternmost part of India, Narcondam in North and Middle Andaman district is only 126 km from Myanmar’s Coco Island. It is formed of andesite, a volcanic rock. The island is classified as a dormant volcano by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
The island covering an area of approximately 7.6 square kilometres is a hunting ground for the poachers from Myanmar.
On February 14, the Andaman police during a search operation apprehended two Myanmarese poachers from Narcondam Island. They were brought to Port Blair and handed over to the CID, the officer said.
During interrogation, they revealed that six more poachers from their country were hiding in the forest of Narcondum.
“Immediately, a search team of Andaman police swung into action and they found bodies of the six poachers,” the officer said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the motorised wooden dinghy in which they entered the Indian Territory developed some snag and they took shelter in the jungle of Narcondum.
“They ran out of ration and drinking water and most probably died of starvation. There are no injury marks on their bodies. The exact cause of their death will be known only after the post-mortem examination,” the officer said.
The bodies were brought to the GB Pant Hospital in Port Blair with the help of the Coast Guard and further investigation is going on.
“The Union Home Ministry and the External Affairs Ministry have been informed about this to fulfil the formalities at the international level to hand over the bodies to their Myanmar counterpart,” the officer said.
In the previous two years, the archipelago has seen the arrest of over 100 poachers from Myanmar, who were found to be in possession of numerous Turbo snails and sea cucumbers.
Sea cucumbers and turbo snails are the main targets of poachers who infiltrate the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Although they are extremely rare, sea cucumbers contribute to maintaining the cleanliness of the ocean floor by consuming decomposing material that ends up there. They find application in medicine on the global market.
Additionally, turbo snails are highly sought after in a number of Asian nations for use in unique culinary preparations as well as decorative items like buttons, jewelry, and showpieces.
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