An expatriate worker, accused of sexually harassing a woman in Milandhoo island of Shaviyani atoll, was attacked on Tuesday.

Police has confirmed receiving a report of an expatriate worker being attacked in Milandhoo, but did not provide details of the attack.

Milandhoo island council president, Abdulla Faiz told RaajjeMV that the Bangladeshi man is accused of sexually assaulting a sales girl at one of the shop’s in the island.

Noting that the assault took place on Monday, Faiz said that the man had been in hiding at another worker’s place of residence until Tuesday night.

While the girl is to have shared the assault incident with some of the island’s residents, Faiz said that this group searched for him “until they found the worker that was helping him hide.”

The group is to have attacked this man as well, in their attempt to locate the individual accused of assault. He is to have required treatment at the island’s health center.

The council president defended the attackers, saying that the only person that should be arrested over the matter “is the Bangladeshi worker.”

He added that such acts are being committed by those residing on the island unlawfully.

As of late, there have been increased reports of the public taking such matters into their own hands. Due to this, police recently urged the public to “not take the law into your own hands.”