The foreigner who was arrested for assaulting staff at Velana International Airport (VIA), has been released.

A video of the incident has been circulating on social media platforms. The video shows a foreigner assaulting an employee at the airport, where a large crowd had gathered near the check-in counters.

He is then seen assaulting another employee who tried to intervene, before he was dragged away by another passenger.

The incident is to have taken place on Tuesday morning.

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) confirmed the man’s arrest on Tuesday.

The reason for the assault remains unclear, however, eye witnesses at the scene revealed that the man threw a fit when he was asked to pay for the excess weight in the luggage he was carrying. The incident has sparked public criticism over the lack of action from airport security as well.

Upon being presented to the Criminal Court for his remand hearing, the man was released on conditional bail.