Ex-home minister "attacked" in capital

Former Home Minister Azleen Ahmed was attacked in capital Malé City early Wednesday morning.

Police spokesperson told RaajjeMV that the incident took place near ADK Hospital at around 3am, and that its officers in plain clothes were at the scene when it happened.

While these officers are to have responded immediately, police only revealed that an individual had been harassing or confronting the former minister.

However, no arrests have been made and police have launched an investigation into this “attack.”

RaajjeMV was unable to reach Azleen for a comment.

However, he had spoken about the "attack" on Twitter accusing a main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) "activist" of targeting him near ADK Hospital. He further claimed that the individual had threatened to "destroy" him, and called on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Police Commissioner Mohamed Hameed to investigate the matter.

Azleen had served as home minister from 2016 until former President Abdulla Yameen’s tenure ended, in November 2018.

While Azleen had always been seen as a close ally of the former president, he signed on to ruling coalition partner Jumhooree Party (JP) on Monday.

JP is led by business tycoon and lawmaker Qasim Ibrahim, who was jailed during Yameen’s presidency in 2017. While he was sentenced in absentia, as he was admitted in hospital, Azleen had visited him on Yameen’s request to “check on his well-being.”