News Analysis India

Tag: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

  • Over 20 women were taken to ex-Andaman Chief Secy’s house in alleged jobs-for-sex racket

    By Online Desk

    KOLKATA: Senior IAS officer and former Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jitendra Narain is at the epicentre of a sexual allegation in which 20 women were allegedly taken to his Port Blair residence in a jobs-for-sex racket. Some of the allegedly sexually exploited women were provided with government jobs.

    The allegations came into the open after a 21-year-old woman alleged that the former Chief Secretary Narain and the then Labour commissioner of Andaman and Nicobar Islands RL Rishi sexually exploited her and she was subjected to gang-rape. 

    Jitendra Narain’s name was among the ‘Top 50 Bureaucrats’ list prepared by Fame India, Asia Post, and PSU Watch, in 2019.

    A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the young woman’s allegations that she was lured to the chief secretary’s home with the promise of a government job and then raped by top officials there.

    The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed Jitendra Narain, a 1990 batch IAS officer, to appear before the SIT by October 28, holding that the case requires immediate inquiry.

    A vacation bench comprising justices Bibek Chaudhuri and Prasenjit Biswas also granted interim protection against arrest to Narain till a date that will be fixed by the circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court in Port Blair on November 14 on its first date of sitting after the Puja vacation.

    The woman’s family has reportedly said they would move the Supreme Court for cancellation of the former Chief Secretary’s interim bail.

    The woman had alleged that she was introduced to Labour Commissioner Rishi through a known person and was taken to the residence of the then Chief Secretary Narain.

    In her complaint, she alleged that she was offered alcohol at Narain’s residence and when she declined it, she was forcibly raped and sexually assaulted by the Chief Secretary and the Labour Commissioner.

    According to an Indian Express (IE) investigation, the young woman said that the sexual assault was repeated two weeks later and that she was threatened to not disclose the crime to anyone.

    IE reported that the Call Data Records (CDRs) of the two bureaucrats and that of the 21-year-old matched with the time of sexual assault as stated by the woman, as told by senior police officials. The tower location of the woman and two senior officers also matched her allegations, the cops said.

    The hard disk of the digital video recorder of the CCTV camera at the Chief Secretary’s residence was erased and later removed from his residence after he was transferred from Port Blair to New Delhi in July this year, IE reported.

    In a testimony from a member of the Chief Secretary’s staff, as reported by IE, he said that he used to be instructed to “pick the women up”, and then pick up food from a local restaurant to ber served later at the residence, and would then be asked to drop the women off at a fixed spot.

    The complainant had filed an application before the Aberdeen Police Station in Port Blair on September 30, on the basis of which the FIR was lodged.

    On October 17, Narain was suspended by the Union Home Ministry.

    His accomplice, the former Labour Commissioner of the Andaman and Nicobar administration, has also been placed under suspension.

    Narain had written to the Union Home Ministry and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands claiming that a conspiracy was being hatched against him and that he has “specific materials which demonstrate the fake nature of the case”.

    Reportedly, he claimed that he wasn’t present in Port Blair on one of the two dates given in the FIR and showed air tickets to confirm he had been in Delhi that day. However, the woman’s family informed that there had been was a mix-up in the dates provided by her, thereby clearing the matter.

    (With PTI and IANS inputs)

    KOLKATA: Senior IAS officer and former Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jitendra Narain is at the epicentre of a sexual allegation in which 20 women were allegedly taken to his Port Blair residence in a jobs-for-sex racket. Some of the allegedly sexually exploited women were provided with government jobs.

    The allegations came into the open after a 21-year-old woman alleged that the former Chief Secretary Narain and the then Labour commissioner of Andaman and Nicobar Islands RL Rishi sexually exploited her and she was subjected to gang-rape. 

    Jitendra Narain’s name was among the ‘Top 50 Bureaucrats’ list prepared by Fame India, Asia Post, and PSU Watch, in 2019.

    A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the young woman’s allegations that she was lured to the chief secretary’s home with the promise of a government job and then raped by top officials there.

    The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed Jitendra Narain, a 1990 batch IAS officer, to appear before the SIT by October 28, holding that the case requires immediate inquiry.

    A vacation bench comprising justices Bibek Chaudhuri and Prasenjit Biswas also granted interim protection against arrest to Narain till a date that will be fixed by the circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court in Port Blair on November 14 on its first date of sitting after the Puja vacation.

    The woman’s family has reportedly said they would move the Supreme Court for cancellation of the former Chief Secretary’s interim bail.

    The woman had alleged that she was introduced to Labour Commissioner Rishi through a known person and was taken to the residence of the then Chief Secretary Narain.

    In her complaint, she alleged that she was offered alcohol at Narain’s residence and when she declined it, she was forcibly raped and sexually assaulted by the Chief Secretary and the Labour Commissioner.

    According to an Indian Express (IE) investigation, the young woman said that the sexual assault was repeated two weeks later and that she was threatened to not disclose the crime to anyone.

    IE reported that the Call Data Records (CDRs) of the two bureaucrats and that of the 21-year-old matched with the time of sexual assault as stated by the woman, as told by senior police officials. The tower location of the woman and two senior officers also matched her allegations, the cops said.

    The hard disk of the digital video recorder of the CCTV camera at the Chief Secretary’s residence was erased and later removed from his residence after he was transferred from Port Blair to New Delhi in July this year, IE reported.

    In a testimony from a member of the Chief Secretary’s staff, as reported by IE, he said that he used to be instructed to “pick the women up”, and then pick up food from a local restaurant to ber served later at the residence, and would then be asked to drop the women off at a fixed spot.

    The complainant had filed an application before the Aberdeen Police Station in Port Blair on September 30, on the basis of which the FIR was lodged.

    On October 17, Narain was suspended by the Union Home Ministry.

    His accomplice, the former Labour Commissioner of the Andaman and Nicobar administration, has also been placed under suspension.

    Narain had written to the Union Home Ministry and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands claiming that a conspiracy was being hatched against him and that he has “specific materials which demonstrate the fake nature of the case”.

    Reportedly, he claimed that he wasn’t present in Port Blair on one of the two dates given in the FIR and showed air tickets to confirm he had been in Delhi that day. However, the woman’s family informed that there had been was a mix-up in the dates provided by her, thereby clearing the matter.

    (With PTI and IANS inputs)

  • SIT to probe gang-rape of 21-year-old woman in Andaman & Nicobar by former chief secretary, others

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A Special Investigating Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe allegations of a 21-year-old woman in Andaman and Nicobar Islands that she was gang-raped by officials there including a former chief secretary.

    The police registered a case earlier this month on the complaint filed by the woman alleging that she was sexually abused by Narain, a 1990 batch IAS officer, and Labour commissioner R L Rishi at the latter’s official residence on two occasions.

    The Aberdeen police station registered the case and a Special Investigating Team headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police was formed to probe the serious allegation against Narain, who is at present posted as the chairman and managing director of the Delhi Financial Corporation.

    When contacted, Narain told PTI that he can not comment on the issue as the matter is sub judice.

    The woman lodged the complaint with the police on August 21 in which she gave a detailed account of the alleged sexual attack on her twice – in April and May – and requested for preserving the CCTV footage of the then chief secretary’s residence for evidence.

    She has also requested a Test Identification Parade of the employees present at the residence of the official.

    The complainant has also recorded her statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) before the chief metropolitan magistrate detailing the allegation.

    Anyone giving a statement under this clause of the CrPC will face perjury charges in case it turns out to be false.

    The woman claimed that she was in search of a job and was introduced to Rishi through a hotel owner who allegedly took her to the residence of Narain. At Narain’s residence, the woman claimed, she was offered liquor which she refused. She claimed that they assured her of a government job but, subsequently, she was brutally sexually abused by the two men.

    Two weeks later, the woman alleged, she was called to the chief secretary’s residence again and the assault was repeated.

    She said that instead of giving the promised government job, she was threatened with dire consequences if she revealed the matter to anyone.

    She has also filed a separate complaint with the police against a local journalist, who allegedly gave hints about her identity, and a police officer for leaking information about the case, officials said.

    According to sources close to Narain, he joined as chief secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Island in March 2021.

    NEW DELHI: A Special Investigating Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe allegations of a 21-year-old woman in Andaman and Nicobar Islands that she was gang-raped by officials there including a former chief secretary.

    The police registered a case earlier this month on the complaint filed by the woman alleging that she was sexually abused by Narain, a 1990 batch IAS officer, and Labour commissioner R L Rishi at the latter’s official residence on two occasions.

    The Aberdeen police station registered the case and a Special Investigating Team headed by a Senior Superintendent of Police was formed to probe the serious allegation against Narain, who is at present posted as the chairman and managing director of the Delhi Financial Corporation.

    When contacted, Narain told PTI that he can not comment on the issue as the matter is sub judice.

    The woman lodged the complaint with the police on August 21 in which she gave a detailed account of the alleged sexual attack on her twice – in April and May – and requested for preserving the CCTV footage of the then chief secretary’s residence for evidence.

    She has also requested a Test Identification Parade of the employees present at the residence of the official.

    The complainant has also recorded her statement under section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) before the chief metropolitan magistrate detailing the allegation.

    Anyone giving a statement under this clause of the CrPC will face perjury charges in case it turns out to be false.

    The woman claimed that she was in search of a job and was introduced to Rishi through a hotel owner who allegedly took her to the residence of Narain. At Narain’s residence, the woman claimed, she was offered liquor which she refused. She claimed that they assured her of a government job but, subsequently, she was brutally sexually abused by the two men.

    Two weeks later, the woman alleged, she was called to the chief secretary’s residence again and the assault was repeated.

    She said that instead of giving the promised government job, she was threatened with dire consequences if she revealed the matter to anyone.

    She has also filed a separate complaint with the police against a local journalist, who allegedly gave hints about her identity, and a police officer for leaking information about the case, officials said.

    According to sources close to Narain, he joined as chief secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Island in March 2021.

  • No new COVID-19 case reported in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

    By PTI

    PORT BLAIR: Andaman and Nicobar Islands did not record any new COVID-19 case in the last 24 hours, a health department official said on Thursday. The COVID-19 tally in the union territory remained at 7,620, he said.

    Two more persons recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 recoveries in the archipelago to 7,482, the official said.

    The union territory now has nine active COVID-19 cases and all the patients are in the South Andaman district, he said, adding that the other two districts – North and Middle Andaman and Nicobar – are now coronavirus free.

    The COVID-19 death toll remained at 129 as no new fatality was reported. The administration has so far tested 5,50,232 samples for COVID-19 and the cumulative test positivity rate is 1.38 per cent, he said. A total of 4,40,904 beneficiaries have been inoculated in the archipelago so far, of which 2,89,442 have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 1,51,462 both doses of the vaccine, the official said.

  • No new COVID-19 infections in Andaman and Nicobar Islands; active caseload at 13

    By PTI

    PORT BLAIR: The union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands did not record any new COVID-19 case in the last 24 hours, a health department official said on Monday.

    The COVID-19 tally in the archipelago remained at 7,618, he said.

    The union territory now has only 13 active COVID-19 cases and all the patients are in the South Andaman district.

    The other two districts – North and Middle Andaman and Nicobar – are free from coronavirus, he said.

    Three more persons recovered from COVID-19 taking the total number of recoveries to 7,476, he said.

    The COVID-19 death toll remained at 129 as no new fatality was reported in the last 24 hours, the official said.

    The administration has so far tested 5,45,708 samples for COVID-19 and the cumulative test positivity rate is 1.40 per cent.

    A total of 4,36,070 beneficiaries have been inoculated so far, of which 2,88,441 have received single dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 1,47,629 have received both doses of the vaccine, he said.

  • One new case takes COVID-19 tally of Andamans to 7,557 

    By PTI

    PROT BLAIR: Andaman and Nicobar Islands reported just one new COVID-19 case, which took the tally in the Union Territory to 7,557, a health department official said on Sunday.

    The new patient has a travel history, he said.

    The death toll remained at 129 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported in the last 24 hours, the official said.

    No one was cured of the disease during the period, and the total number of recoveries in the archipelago remained at 7,419.

    The Union Territory now has nine active cases.

    The local administration has been strict to contain the spread of the disease and has adopted an approach of tracking, testing and treating, he said, adding that people arriving here from the mainland are mandatorily required to undergo COVID test.

    Altogether, 3,34,151 people have been inoculated with 1,00,753 of them having received both doses of the vaccine.

    Of the total number of immunised people, 1,20,498 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years have been vaccinated till Saturday, the official said.

    The Andaman and Nicobar administration has conducted over 4.71 lakh sample tests for COVID-19 so far, and the positivity rate stands at 1.60 per cent, the official added.

  • No fresh COVID-19 case in Andamans, tally remain at 7,492 

    By PTI
    PORT BLAIR: The union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands did not record a single fresh COVID-19 case in the last 24 hours, a health department official said on Monday.

    The coronavirus tally in the archipelago remained at 7,492, he said.

    The COVID-19 death toll remained at 129 as no fresh fatality due to the contagion was reported in the last 24 hours, the official said.

    The union territory now has 11 active COVID-19 cases and all the patients are in the South Andaman district while the other two districts – North and Middle Andaman and Nicobar – are now COVID-19 free.

    A total of 7,352 people have recovered from COVID-19 so far, the official said.

    The local administration has been strict to contain the spread of the disease and has adopted an approach of tracking, testing and treating, he said, adding that people arriving here from the mainland are mandatorily required to undergo COVID test.

    The Andaman and Nicobar administration has so far tested 4,19,287 samples for COVID-19 and the cumulative test positivity rate is 1.

    79 per cent, the official added.

    A total of 2,25,809 people have been inoculated so far, of which 1,64,207 people have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 61,602 people have received the second dose of the vaccine, he said, adding that the union territory has a total population of 4 lakh people.

    Meanwhile, Andaman and Nicobar Island MP Kuldeep Rai Sharma has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide 3,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine for cent per cent immunization of islanders above 18 years.

    He said that Andaman and Nicobar Administration has till now managed the COVID-19 pandemic situation in a very professional manner in the last two waves by imposing containment zone, travel restrictions and lockdowns.

    Keeping in view of threat of Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 virus and possibility of third wave of COVID-19 as predicted worldwide, vaccination is the only panacea to save the islanders from this pandemic, the MP added.

  • Cyclone Yaas: 99 NDRF teams committed across four states, Andaman and Nicobar

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has committed 99 teams across Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the view of Cyclone Yaas, NDRF Director General SN Pradhan said on Monday.

    “#CycloneYaas Update24/5/21 @NDRFHQ commits 99 tms Across 5States/UT 52 tms(22+30 more)-Odisha 35 tms(25+10more)WBengal Rest across AP/TN/A&N,” Pradhan tweeted.

    As many as 18 teams NDRF teams have been deployed in Odisha alone. Seven teams have been deployed in Balasore, 4 in Bhadrak, 3 in Kendrapada, 2 in Jajpur, one each in Jagatsinghpur and Mayurbhanj. Four teams have also been kept as reserve, as per the NDRF.

    ALSO READ | 12,000 people in Cuttack to be shifted to safety ahead of Cyclone Yaas

    According to the Odisha government, 66 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and 177 fire services teams are being deployed in areas that are likely to be affected by the cyclone.

    The Armed Forces too, have commenced preparations to mitigate the impact of the anticipated disaster by airlifting 950 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel across the country, with 26 helicopters in standby for immediate deployment.

    Eight flood relief columns and three Engineer Task Forces of the Army are ready for immediate deployment on requisition by the civil administration and the Armed Forces are in constant touch with the civil administration of the affected states.

    ALSO READ | Andhra Pradesh built buffer stock of oxygen in view of Cyclone Yaas, says official

    Umashankar Das, senior scientist of IMD, Bhubaneswar said Cyclonic Yaas is likely to cross the coast between Paradeep and Sagar island on May 26.

    “Cyclonic storm Yaas is likely to cross the coast b/w Paradeep and Sagar island on 26 May. Windspeed will be around 150-160kmph & gusting up to 180kmph in Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Balasore and Bhadrak during landfall process,” Das said.

    IMD Director General of Meteorology Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra had said that the cyclone is very likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and will cross West Bengal and north Odisha coasts on the evening of May 26.

  • One new COVID-19 case in Andamans take tally to 5,036

    By PTI
    PORT BLAIR: One more person tested positive for COVID-19 in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, pushing the tally in the union territory to 5,036, a health department official said on Friday.

    Two more persons recuperated from the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of COVID-19 recoveries to 4,969, the official said.

    The archipelago now has five active COVID-19 cases and all the five patients are in South Andaman district, he said.

    The COVID-19 death toll remained at 62 as no new fatality due to the infection was reported in the last 24 hours.

    The union territory administration has so far tested 2,99,048 samples for COVID-19 and the test positivity rate is 1.68 per cent, he said.

    Altogether, 12,303 health care and frontline workers have been inoculated in the union territory till Thursday, and 1,865 people above 45 years of age have received the vaccine shots, the official said.

    A total of 4,169 health care workers have also received the second dose of the vaccine.

  • No new COVID-19 case in Andamans for second consecutive day

    By PTI
    PORT BLAIR: The union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands did not report any fresh COVID-19 case in the last two days, a health department official said on Tuesday.

    The coronavirus tally in the union territory remained at 5,009, while 4,938 patients have recovered from the disease so far, he said.

    Sixty-two people have died so far due to the contagion, the official said.

    The union territory now has nine active COVID-19 cases and all the patients are in South Andaman district.

    The other two districts North and Middle Andaman and Nicobar are now COVID-19 free as both have no active coronavirus case at present.

    The Andaman and Nicobar administration has conducted 2,48,562 sample tests for COVID-19 so far, and the positivity rate stands at 2.02 per cent, he added.

    Strict COVID-19 protocols are being followed in the islands with wearing of masks made mandatory by the administration as a large number of tourists are flocking to the archipelago.

    Official sources said any person arriving by flight or reaching by ship from Kolkata or Chennai is mandatorily required to show a negative coronavirus report.

    A total of 4,047 health care and frontline workers have received COVID-19 vaccine in the union territory till Monday, the official said.

    At least 182 health care workers have received the second dose of the vaccine, the official added.

  • Article :- Andamaan Nikobaar Meen Sanrankshit Aadivaasiyon Ko Eesaee Banaane Pahunche Amerikee Kee Teer Maarakar Huee Hatya

    An American man was murdered on an island of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is believed that this incident has been executed by the people of a tribe, who oppose outsiders to come or contact them.
    According to the ANI, the deceased American citizen has been identified as John Allen Chaw. Police have registered a case of murder against the unknown in this regard. After the massacre, police detained seven people from Andaman Islands.
    According to the local media, the deceased Chou was a missionary who wanted to meet Saintinlies to promote Christianity. Citing sources, a newspaper said that Chou had visited Andaman and Nicobar Islands five times earlier. They had the desire to meet the Sentinel tribes to promote Christianity.
    According to the information, John Allen Chaw was roaming in the North Sentinel Island for the past five days with the help of a fisherman. The police has registered a case of murder on Tuesday.
    Northern Sentinel Island is the stronghold of the Sentinelles, which is an indigenous tribe. They do not want to contact any outsiders. They do not accept anybody’s influx in their field. Indian law protects Sentinel people. Their number is estimated to be less than 50. They do not use the money.
    They can not be prosecuted. Any contact with them or their residence areas is declared illegal. It is forbidden to take video of Sentinel people too. In 2017, the government had clarified that centenarians were identified as tribal tribe. Videos displayed to them can not be uploaded to social media or the Internet.
    The layers of alleged murders by the protected Centenelis of the American citizen John Allen Chow, on the Sentinel Island of Andaman Nicobar, are now open. SP Deepak Yadav, who is investigating the case, has told in a special conversation with INDIA TODAY how Chau had to lose his life in order to reach the protected Centenalees tribal.
    According to CID SP Deepak Yadav, American citizen John Allen Chau reached Andaman Nicobar on October 16. And he expressed his desire to meet the settenes tribals. This tribal group does not have any contact with the outsiders, and it shines arrows on those who come near them. With the help of seven fishermen on November 14, Chau reached the forest where this tribal group lives.
    According to Deepak Yadav, Chau went inside the forest, Chau was trying to hide himself in the fishermen’s way, but when he went inside and the fishermen remained within a distance from them. Soon after, a fisherman saw his dead body, which was being buried by tribals. Chau was killed with arrows. But his dead body could not be brought back.

    He said that there is a ban on going to this island. So, their bodies are being detected and status is being taken from the airways. These seven fishermen are witnesses of this incident and after the incident they went to main island informing Chau’s friend about this and informed them to his family members. The case has been registered while taking strong action against the fishermen, as they helped the American citizen to go to the restricted island.
    It is noteworthy that by the time, the entry of outsiders on Northern Sentinel Island was forbidden. Taking this big step this year, the government had excluded 28 other islands, including this island from the list of Restricted Area Ordinances (RAP) from December 31, 2022 in the Union Territory. The removal of RAP meant that the foreigners could go on these islands without the permission of the government.
    According to CID SP Dipak Yadav, these tribal groups are sensitive and have been living in this area for 60,000 years. They should not be contacted, because this protected group may be affected by the disease when exposed to external world. He said that the Coast Guard and the Navy constantly inhibit people from entering the area through petrol.
    According to sources, American citizen John Allen Chau was associated with a Christian missionary and wanted to convert with these tribals as an adventure. This is not the first time that these tribals have killed some, before this tribal group had killed two fishermen in 2006.