Maldives Police Service (MPS) has arrested a 60-year-old in connection to a sexual assault case against a minor.

The Maldivian man was arrested under a court order by officers of the Northern Police Division in a northern island, at around 12pm on Monday.

Initially, the case of the elder sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy was lodged at MPS on 9 December, revealed police.

Police also revealed that the case is under further investigations.

This comes at a time such cases of children being victimized by pedophiles have been on the rise since the heartbreaking news of a two-year-old girl having been sexually assaulted by close family members made the spotlight in mid-January.

Since then, authorities have come under fire for sluggish action on perpetrators.

However, authorities continue to assure the public that they will do “everything” necessary to ensure children’s rights are protected, with police having stated that they investigate such cases as “serious” crimes.