Six Myanmar poachers die of ‘starvation’ in Andaman forests; bodies found

The bodies of six suspected Myanmar poachers have been found on the remote Narkondan island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an official said on Sunday. The official said the poachers appeared to have died of starvation and dehydration on the small volcanic island after running out of rations.

The small boat they used to reach the island developed some snags and they were unable to return. The bodies were found lying in the forest on the small island of Nakondan, a few meters from the coast, on Saturday.

Narkantan is located in the north-central Andaman region in the easternmost part of India, only 126 kilometers away from Coco Island in Myanmar. It is formed from andesite, a volcanic rock.

The island is classified as a dormant volcano by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). The island covers an area of ​​about 7.6 square kilometers and is a hunting ground for Myanmar poachers.

On February 14, Andaman police caught two Burmese poachers from Narkondan Island during a raid. They were taken to Port Blair and handed over to the CID, the official said. During interrogation, they revealed that there were six more poachers from their own country hiding in the Narkundum forest.

The police officer said that a search team of the Andaman Police swung into action and found the bodies of six poachers. Preliminary investigations revealed that the motorized wooden boat they were traveling in when they entered Indian territory encountered some snags and they took refuge in the jungles of Narkundum.

They had run out of food rations and drinking water and were likely to die of starvation. There were no signs of injury on their bodies. Their exact cause of death will only be known after autopsies. “The official said.

The body was taken to GB Pant Hospital in Port Blair with the help of the Coast Guard and further investigation is underway. The official said the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been informed of the matter to fulfill formalities at the international level and hand over the body to their Myanmar counterparts.

More than 100 poachers from Myanmar have been arrested in the archipelago in the past two years, and large quantities of sea cucumbers and turbine snails have been seized from them.

Poachers sneak into the Andaman and Nicobar Islands mainly to collect sea cucumbers and turbine snails. Sea cucumbers are highly endangered and help keep the seabed clean by eating decaying material that settles on the seabed.

They are used in the international market for medicinal purposes. Turbine snails are also in high demand in some Asian countries for exotic cuisine and decorative purposes, including display pieces, jewelry and buttons.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from associated news agency – PTI)