Police negligence in addressing deaths: Six since beginning of 2018

While the count of suicide and accidental deaths has increased within the past three months since the beginning of this year, the question remains if the police are fulfilling their responsibility in reaching a verdict in the increased death cases across the nation.

Suicide cases of minors have increased to nine within the past year alone and continued to increase since the beginning of 2018. Three suicide cases have been reported so far within the past three months.

Relevant authorities have failed to comment regarding the matter of increased deaths compared to previous years, where such cases seldom surface.

While suicidal individuals are increasing within society, adequate institutions are not taking action to find a solution to control or prevent such actions, or conduct awareness programs to help those with suicidal thoughts.

At the beginning of the year, two individuals hung themselves, with one leaping off a building. Some had been arrested regarding these cases, with a post-mortem conducted on the body of one of the men who hung himself.

These cases are yet to be thoroughly investigated by the police since they have failed to comment on the matter upon media queries.

While three accidents were reported so far this year, police have failed to provide information on said cases except for announcing their investigation into three deaths in Hulhumale, on Addu City's link road and in Gaaf Dhaalu atoll's Gahdhoo island.

In the accident cases recorded last year, the majority of deaths were of minors.

Police have not revealed a reason for halting the programmes they used to conduct on road safety and traffic management either.

While police hesitate to answer queries on the deaths recorded so far this year, there is no valid reason to withhold information from the media.