In a profoundly unsettling incident that has ignited public outcry, a minor was reportedly subjected to bullying and physical assault within the ablution area of a mosque on Rasdhoo Island, Alifu Alifu Atoll. The case has been officially submitted to the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Gender for a comprehensive investigation.
The incident was initially brought to the attention of the public and the authorities via social media, where a video allegedly showing two boys bullying and assaulting another inside the mosque’s ablution area was posted. The video’s release on social media platforms prompted immediate public concern and widespread condemnation, and led to an investigation by the Maldives Police Service.
The chair of the human rights committee, Hinnavaru MP Jeehan Mahmood, confirmed to Maldives Republic that the case had been officially filed with the committee.
In response to the incident, teams from the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Department of Juvenile Justice were dispatched to the island. Police spokesperson Ahmed Shifan confirmed that the individuals appearing in the video have been identified and that a thorough investigation is underway. “The suspects are minors, as indicated,” he stated.
The police have identified the alleged perpetrators as a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old. The police are treating the incident as a serious crime and are conducting an investigation accordingly, Shifan confirmed.
Social media platforms are awash with condemnation of the incident. Numerous users are urging the authorities to ensure justice for the victim, while others are advocating for stringent punishment for the alleged perpetrators, despite their minor status.
Some social media users have even resorted to describing the alleged perpetrators as “animals” for committing such a grievous act within the sacred premises of a mosque during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
