Investigations are continuing into the suicide yesterday of a 39 year-old Indian national in police custody, while the Indian High Commission today raised concerns about the treatment of some expatriates in the Maldives.
The deceased, identified by the Indian High Commission as Scariakutty Kalarikkal Yoyakim, was being held in custody on the island of Dhoonidhoo for the alleged assault of another couple with whom he had been living. Yoyakim had been employed by Crown Company and was living in the same property as the couple, as well as his wife, according to the High Commission. He is also thought to have been in the country with his son and brother.
Police Spokesperson Ahmed Haneef told Minivan News that the man was believed to have taken his life yesterday evening at about 6:50pm, though further details were unavailable at present as investigations were continuing.
Haneef said that the man may have used something to tie around his neck that would allow him to commit suicide inside the cell, but would not confirm any details until police concluded their report.
‘’Today at about 1:00pm in the afternoon his body was sent back to his country in compliance with a request from the deceased’s family,’’ he said.
Condolence gathering
The Indian High Commission confirmed that it had held a condolence gathering for Yoyakim at 5:00pm today, with 50 people in attendance. The meeting included prayers as well as a minute’s silence for the deceased, according to organisers.
A spokesperson for the commission told Minivan News that it was unaware of the nature of the man’s suicide, though the Commission understood police investigations into the death were continuing.
When contacted about the incident, Indian High Commissioner Dynaneshwar Mulay was unable to provide any additional details regarding the case. However, he did raise some concerns over the general treatment of Indian expatriates in the Maldives by the country’s police and judiciary.
Mulay claimed that alongside concerns about the treatment of some Indian expatriates in relation to the law, there were significant issues relating to “basic human rights” that needed to be addressed concerning expatriates from countries including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Mulay’s comments follow an attack last week on a Indian resort worker, who was reported to have been attacked with a hammer and mugged while staying in a hotel in Male’. The attack was allegedly committed by a former employee of the same resort.
The victim, identified by India’s Express News Service as 24 year-old Ramakrishnan Sadanandan from Thiruvananthapuram, was reportedly attacked at 2:30pm on March 31 while staying at a local guest house in the capital.
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There are too many violent incidents involving Indian citizens in this feral, politically unstable country.
The indian government should slam the door shut on Maldives and withdraw all investments.....I don't see any other country, including China, falling over themselves in the rush to invest in Maldives.
This is very sad news and my condolences go to the Indian community.
This kind of incident shows just how very, very, weak the level of professionalism and capacity for effective policing the police force has in this country.
The Maldives Police continue to prove what an unprofessional, weak, and low level of performance they are capable of.
They lack discipline, are ill-educated about their professional responsibilities and have displayed very weak standards of behaviour, particularly in recent weeks. They have a seriously poor record of protecting human rights, whether towards Maldivian nationals or non-nationals, as this incident and many others suggests!
I hope at least the Police Integrity Commission conducts a thorough and transparent investigation to make the police accountable for their total failure to protect a detainee in custody.
Like many people, I don't think the HRCM is worth the name it is called, so I have no expectations of that institution!
To Indian embassy in Male' Maldives it is frankly speaking not a serious matter to poke nose into.......
They are blind deaf and dumb.
In the day light, they see hundreds of cases of torture on Indian citizens but they shut their eyes as if they did not notice it.....
The Maldivians rape their sisters and daughters,mug and loot their brothers,slaughter their children and many more........
The are only watching the show.....
I don't think its a matter of police, the person did commit suicide while in police custody, but we need to comment after some facts are known to the question why the person commited suicide. No offence to indians, but india does have high rate of suicide, that too for the most unreasonable problems such failure to achieve success in studies, extra maritial affair of partner etc. The person who has commited suicide is a criminal to begin with. He could have felt guilty about what he has done and the feeling of remorse may have lead him to commit suicide. I do, agree with Alif-Alif regarding the unprofessionalism of Maldivian Police. However,mistreatment by the polic to foriegn expatriates is something unreasonable to say. Afterall, all who are suspected of crimes are treated the same. Besides, many Maldivians have suffered much more sever situations in Indian Jails. And Indian prisons and Police are famous for brutal torture methods. So lets hope for a thorough investigation of the incident.
This is a sad incident. Those responsible should be held accountable.
That said, let's not sensationalize this. Maldivians living in India have to bribe the Indian Immigration and police on a daily routine. They even face harassment from them .. The conditions in Maldivian jails are much better than that in Indian jails. And considering the huge expat population here, the violence against expats are much lower compared to those against locals.
I am not saying that there should be a proportionate number of attacks on expats. What I am saying is that these are the state of our societies...
This country has too big a population of disadvantaged youth and the locals are living in as much fear as the expats. Let's not forget the role of foreigners in the drugs trade in the country!
Maldives should understand that they are surviving because of favours from different countries and no country is dependent on them.
Once everything is cut off from all countries to this country for 1 month then this people will realise their mistake.
Maldivians learn to respect people of all countries then only you can survive here
Just a quick reminder....
Former President or Serbia and Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milošević was found dead in his cell on 11 March 2006, in the UN war crimes tribunal's detention center, located in the Scheveningen section of The Hague, Netherlands.
As a Maldivian I am ashamed of the way most Maldivians treat foreigners (especially those who aren't Caucasian). We really need to raise awareness on these issues, racism and ethnocentrism go hand in hand leaving the Maldivian people narrow minded, foolish and so far behind that they think they are ahead. On behalf of my country, I apologize to any foreigner who has suffered at the hands of my people.
This is sad. However, this is nothing to do with xenophobia. There is just lots of crimes, including murder, rape, gang violence going in the country regularly.
People living in all countries, including India, face these things. Foreigners living in the countries will not be an exception.
What we have is a bigger problem. Drugs, unemployment, etc. So don't make this a big THING about India or foreigners. We locals face this shit as much as you do... sorry fellas!
Sad News ..but wat can v do .... proud to be an indian and very happy for HC ( Male')people ...Same things must happen for there family , friends and children ( HC Male' ) its OUR prayers sure one day they all will realize ............
Crocodile tears from "Dynaneshwar Mulay" who has proved either to be incompetent or insensitive to human rights violations. Write one more poetry book for the new regime now.
As a Maldivian, I feel like hanging my head in shame. Both for the incident and also for the insensitive comments of some of my fellow countrymen. All those people talking here against other countries or foreigners must realise the issue. Will they be happy if it happened to their family members or friends? If not, why do you talk insensitive things on this matter of violation of basic human rights? If a person dies in custody, the custodian, the Police will have to be responsible. If as maldivians , we forgive this, tomorrow it may happen to any of us.
s sad thing happened and many reasons behind the action but the government of Maldives is responsible for the action which took place under their full controlled jail.
what we've seen torturing own people front of every body and need investigation the case.
is this a bird cage shown in the pic? pls don't spread false stories here without knowing what had exactly happened there..? he had committed a big crime and he knew there was no way he can escape from this and finally he committed suicide. so why do the Maldivian police has to take the responsibility when he committed the crime and suicide himself.
this person who comitted suicide was involved in a love triangle situation with a married woman. he was arrested in a fight between a husband and a wife. all indians of course. this was an emotional descision he made for himself . apologies are not needed. we did nothing wrong here.
sad for a loss of life
My dear Indian friends please leave this country
we are now living in a state without any law it is a military dictatorship sorry so say and angry for your fellow Indian High Commissioner for maldives (MULEY) who has been totally involved in the military takeover here. but i don't think he can guarantee your safety here in maldives. he betrayed us all
This man was crying 2 hours before he "hanged". The police came and beat him and likely they hanged him after his death.