Maldives Police Service has admitted security failures in the lead-up to the violent disruption of the World Yoga Day event held at the National Stadium on June 21.
During a press conference held on June 27, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau said police has accepted its failure to maintain security of the event at the National Stadium on June 21. Shujau said police has worked much more professionally during major protests and other similar incidents in Male’ prior to this event and would have been expected to do much better than it did in this event. Also adding that statements have been provided to the sub-committee formed by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to investigate the incident.
Police has arrested a total of 21 people over the incident, including former Parliamentarian Mohamed Ismail and religious scholars Sheikh Fazloon Mohamed and Sheikh Adam Nishan.