Bodufinolhu unrest: 19 expat workers taken into police custody

Maldives Police Service (MPS) has taken 19 expatriate workers into police custody, following the unrest that took place in Bodufinolhu island of Baa atoll, an island being developed into a resort.

In a statement released on Friday, the authority revealed that 15 Maldivian workers in the resort had attempted to depart from the island at around 09:30am on Thursday. However, authorities received reports of around 203 expatriate workers on the island stopping the Maldivian workers from departing.

The large group of expatriates had shown hostility and attacked officers from Thulhaadhoo island in the same atoll, who attempted to enter the resort, with rocks and metal rods.

One of the officers attained serious head injuries after being struck and was taken to the Baa atoll health center for treatment. Another officer was left with a broken finger and other officers also attained injuries following the confrontation.

The statement goes on to read that a team of officials from the Bangladeshi High Commission in the Maldives as well as a team of the police Public Order Response Unit and investigative unit led by two senior officers, had arrived at the island early Friday to rescue the Maldivian hostages.

Following the team’s arrival on the island, the infuriated group of migrant workers had not shown hostility, said the police.

Further, officers have begun assessing the damage inflicted on property and buildings on the resort.

The case is being probed by the authority’s Serious and Organized Crime Department and Human Trafficking Department.