Indian police arrested an American tourist on Thursday after he tried to make contact with residents of the infamous North Sentinel Island.
Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, managed to reach the restricted territory in the Indian Ocean in recent days, according to a report from The Guardian.
The British news outlet noted that outsiders, whether they hail from India or anywhere else in the world, are disallowed from trying to contact the North Sentinelese and from traveling within three miles of the territory.
The rules protect islanders from those who may bring in disease or disrupt the tribal lifestyle.
Polyakov, on the other hand, stepped foot on the island with a coconut and a can of Diet Coke.
Polyakov also allegedly blew a whistle off the shore, drawing the attention of the tribe for an hour.
North Sentinel Island is part of the broader Andaman Islands.
HGS Dhaliwal, the police chief for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said that “the American citizen was presented before the local court after his arrest.”
“A review of his GoPro camera footage showed his entry and landing into the restricted North Sentinel Island,” the police chief added.
Should this island be free to visit?
The tourist is “now on a three-day remand for further interrogation.”
Survival International, a group which advocates for native populations, said that the alleged actions were “deeply disturbing,” per a report from the U.K. BBC.
“As well as all the somewhat more established threats to such peoples – from things like logging and mining in the Amazon where most uncontacted peoples live – there are now an increasing number of … influencers who are trying to do this kind of thing for followers,” Jonathan Mazower, a spokesperson for Survivors International, commented.
“There’s a growing social media fascination with this whole idea,” he added.
Polyakov has tried to enter the island on other occasions in the recent past.
He first attempted to bring an inflatable kayak to the island in October, but he was stopped by hotel staff from pulling off the feat.
North Sentinel Island made worldwide news back in 2018 for another incident involving an American trying to make contact with the tribe, though for drastically different purposes.
John Allen Chau, 27, landed illegally on the island in order to reach the North Sentinelese with the gospel of Jesus Christ, according to a report from The Voice of the Martyrs.
Chau was killed by the locals for his troubles.
The young man had prepared for nine years before the missionary journey by researching the people and taking a linguistics class to help him communicate with the islanders, who speak an unknown language.
Chau also took medical training so he could provide the islanders with basic care, as well as learned about cross-cultural mission work.
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