The Maldives Police Service (MPS) has claimed that there was no child present during the arrest made at the opposition rally staged on Friday.

The police institution took to Twitter on Saturday afternoon, addressing the allegations pinned on the institution regarding the arrest of an individual during the protests staged by the opposition coalition comprising of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and the People’s National Congress (PNC) on Friday.

The police statement comes a day after the alleged arrest of a man on a motorcycle who stopped to take a picture of police officers, during the opposition coalition protests, staged on Friday evening, in Boduthakurufaanu Magu.

MPS came under fire for making the arrest, allegedly in the presence of a child who was with the arrested individual.

As such, some have been flooding social media with criticism, targeted towards the police institution, with opposition PPM also having condemned the act. Some opposition supporters have claimed that the child was crying while the man was being dragged away with “extreme” force. Officers have also been accused of pushing the child away from the man.

Addressing the allegations, MPS claimed that contrary to claims circulating on social media regarding the arrest, it was not made because the individual took a picture of the police officers, but because he threw an object towards law enforcement officers on the front lines.

Clarifying that there was no child present at the time of the arrest, MPS expressed concern if any child was affected by the incident.

Stressing that accurate reporting is “vital”, the police institution has urged media outlets as well as the public to verify information before spreading unproven claims that may cause public confusion.

The police institution went on to assure the public that they remain committed to professionalism, integrity, and accountability.

MPS also expressed appreciation for the public's understanding and trust in their efforts to maintain a safe environment for all citizens.