Man dies in police custody, police apathy at play!

Maldives Police Services revealed yesterday that Abdulla Rasheed, a man arrested yesterday from GDh. Hoandehdhoo during a Drug Enforcement Unit operation had died while in custody and people suspect police apathy led to his death.

TMJ learned through reliable sources that police body-cam footage showed the deceased begging to be taken to a hospital. According to eyewitnesses, Abdulla Rasheed had complained of difficulty breathing at the time of his arrest and he had even laid down on the jetty when leaving the island, however, police had disregarded his requests to get him medical attention.

While many islanders witnessed the arrest, even the Member of Parliament for Madaveli constituency Firushaan was also present at the scene. Firushaan had pleaded with the officers to get him medical attention before taking him into custody, however the Police proceeded to leave with Abdulla Rasheed on a speedboat where he died on the journey to Madaveli.

The police officer who confirmed the existence of body-cam footage to TMJ said that the DED officers involved were live streaming the arrest to their OPS room in Male’. He noted that the deceased pleaded with DED to take him to a hospital saying that he was dying.

When TMJ asked MPS about the body-cam footage, they denied their existence and tol TMJ that DED had not used body-cams in the operation in question. They stated that the officers in GDh. Atoll do not have body-cam equipment. However, when TMJ asserted that we had confirmation that the officers involved in the arrest had traveled from Male’, police media official Nashva said that she will have to check and get back with more information.

Abdulla Rasheed’s death in police custody was presented to the parliament chambers today, as an emergency motion by the opposition party PPM, however, it was dismissed with the vote of MDP members.

GDh. Madaveli people have now started protesting outside Madaveli Health Centre where Abdulla Rasheed was taken to pronounce his death. According to witnesses, police had left the island after taking Abdulla Rahseed’s body to Madaveli.

Four people including Abdulla Rasheed were arrested from Hoandedhdhoo in relation to a drug smuggling case. While many people believe that the men in custody were brutally attacked on the long speedboat ride by the officers who made the arrest, protestors believe that Abdulla Rasheed died due to police brutality. The other three men have claimed to have been beaten by the arresting officers when taken to court.

Maldives Police stated yesterday that the man in custody died after complaints of chest pain and that they have decided to carry out an autopsy to determine his cause of death.