Naushad's family learned of his death in custodial care through news reports; authorities have yet to provide them with an official update

The family of Ahmed Naushad (41), of M. Reyalivaage, Male’, who died this afternoon while in police custody at the Male’ Custodial Clinic, has stated that they learned of his death through news reports. The family further noted that the police have yet to share any information regarding the incident with them.

A member of Naushad's family told RaajjeMV that they arrived at IGMH upon receiving news of his death, but the police forensic team had not yet reached the hospital. Naushad passed away at approximately 6:00 PM. The family stated that forensics did not arrive at the hospital until 8:30 PM, and complained that they were not allowed to see his face, nor were they provided with any answers by the police.

A family spokesperson stated that the forensic team arrived at the hospital only after inspecting the cell where Naushad was held. They further noted that the doctor who pronounced him dead at IGMH had expressed concern over the delays caused by the forensic team's late arrival.

"I asked them when exactly they informed you of this. They replied that they could only disclose the time following a specific procedure. I told them I was willing to follow that procedure, but when I asked what steps I needed to take to obtain the timing, I still did not receive an answer. Sameehu just informed me that they would provide a response shortly, so I am currently waiting for that. According to the information provided to me by the doctors here, the patient was brought to the hospital from the police cell at 5:40. Upon arrival, the doctors stated that he was already deceased. They mentioned that CPR was administered, and he was officially declared dead at 6:00. We have been waiting for the forensics team since then. The forensics team arrived here at 8:27, after completing their work at the cell. At this point, the patient is gone. The family has not yet been allowed to see the body."

A family member

A family spokesperson stated that Naushad suffered from a seizure disorder, a fact they insist the police were well aware of and which should be documented in their records. They noted that on previous occasions, police had released Naushad from custody after determining that his medical condition made it impossible to detain him. The spokesperson further clarified that the family has yet to be informed of the official cause of death. While they cannot confirm if a seizure was the cause, they noted that medical professionals have also stated that the exact cause of death remains undetermined.

The family also reported that they had to inform doctors of Naushad's history of seizures. According to a family spokesperson, it was only after this information was provided that medical staff began further efforts to determine the exact cause of death.

A family member spoke to RaajjeMV at 9:18 p.m., stating that they had still not received a response from the police at that time.

Police reported that an individual in custody at the Male’ Custodial Clinic was rushed to IGM Hospital on the afternoon of April 15, 2026, after being discovered collapsed in his cell. The Maldives Police Service has shared details of the incident with the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) and the National Integrity Commission (NIC). The matter is currently under investigation.

He stated that the family first learned of Naushad's death through news reports. According to him, the police only provided the information to the family around 6:40 p.m., after they had already arrived at the hospital. This was nearly twenty minutes after the police had released the information to the media at 6:21 p.m.