Police in India say an American tourist was killed by members of the Sentinelese tribe, according to reports.

The Sentinelese, who live on North Sentinel Island in the Andaman Islands, are among India's protected tribes and have almost no contact with the outside world.

The US national was said to be attacked by arrows and had taken a fishing boat to the island to interact with the tribe.

Police say an American tourist was killed by members of the Sentinelese tribe on the North Sentinel Island of India's Andaman Islands, according to reports.

The Sentinelese are a remote, indigenous tribe protected by India. They are said to be resistant to contact with outsiders and have almost no contact with the outside world.

Read more: More than 100 'uncontacted' tribes exist in isolation from global society

The US national has been identified as John Allen Chau, according to Reuters, which cited local police officials, one of whom said a murder case had been registered.

Chau strongly desired to interact with the Sentinelese people and had hired a fishing boat before taking a canoe to the island, the report said.

An Agence France-Presse report cited by Times Now News, an English-language Indian outlet, quoted sources as saying Chau, 27, was "attacked by arrows but he continued walking." The fishermen, they said, "were scared and fled but returned next morning to find his body on the seashore."

Read more: 10 places around the world where visitors are forbidden

Because the island is protected, even the Indian navy isn't allowed to interact with its inhabitants, AFP reported.

A spokeswoman for the US Consulate in Chennai told Reuters it was aware of the reports about the incident.