Tag: arson

House burns to ground in Gaaf dhaal Vaadhoo

A house in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll Vaadhoo was consumed by fire last evening while its owner was out fishing.

Island Council President Mohamed Waheed told local media that all that remained of the two-room house after neighbors extinguished the fire were the walls.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, however police are investigating the incident.

The incident is the fifth case of possible arson to be reported in the last three weeks.

Early on the morning of December 26 a car belonging to a group of American scientists was set on fire in Addu. Locals observed that it was the first time such an event had taken place in the area, while council officials wondered whether the act was a result of rising religious tensions in the days since the December 23 protests for Islam.

Two days later, Noonu Atoll Miladhoo island council office was burned to the ground in what police suspected was an arson attack. Speaking to Minivan News at the time of the incident, Council President Hussain Ghassan said the council had received “several threats” from some people unhappy with the council, of which a majority sides with opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

On January 2, 2012, police arrested one suspect but did not provide details.

On the evening of January 3, a furnished but uninhabited house in Thaa Atoll Thimarafushi caught fire. Police said they suspected arson as there was evidence of an attempted break-in.

On January 4, the engine of a boat en route to Male’ from Kulhudhufushi carrying 175 passengers caught fire near Aarah in Male’ Atoll. Two passengers were injured.

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Police suspect arson in Thimarafushi fire

Police have revealed that they suspect arson in a fire that broke out in a private residence in the island of Thimarafushi in Thaa atoll last night.

Sun Online reports a police media official as saying there was evidence of an attempted break-in before the incident occurred.

The fire was put out an hour later but had caused extensive damage to furniture and equipment in the house. No one was injured in the incident as the house was newly-built and uninhabited.

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Miladhoo island office set on fire

Noonu atoll Miladhoo island council office was set on fire early this morning, causing extensive damage.

The fire incident occurred around 3:00 am on Wednesday, according to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) fire department.

Although islanders and the fire team put out the fire within an hour, almost everything inside the building was destroyed while the building itself was burnt beyond repair, Hussain Ghassan, President of the Miladhoo island council told Minivan News on Wednesday.

Ghassan said that the council has received “several threats” from some people unhappy with the council, of which a majority sides with opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

“Some even threatened to burn down the office”, he said.

Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that police also “suspect it is an arson attack” and the investigation is ongoing.

No arrests have yet been made.

Ghassan reported that the council work has been halted due to the incident and they are looking for a new office to continue work.

However, he said it would be difficult to proceed as “all the paperwork, furniture and other items were lost to the fire”. The damage would cost the council around Rf 1 million (US$65,000), he added.

Miladhoo Island court, situated next to the island office, was also damaged due during the fire.

Police are also investigating an apparent arson attack on a car used by a team of American scientists involved in the Dynamics of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (DYNAMO) project based on Gan in Addu atoll.

The incident was discovered by neighbors around 12:51 am on Sunday, and was put out when police arrived to the scene.

Although officials claim it is too early to determine if the incident was random or targeted, Research Assistant Justin Stachnik said there was “no doubt” that the fire had been intentional. However, citing a generally friendly social atmosphere he suspected it was the work of local youth out for a prank.

Still, Stachnik said neighbors reported that nothing like the fire had happened before in the area.

A senior official at Addu City Council told Minivan at the time that a recent increase in religious tensions, as well as the December 23 protests, had exacerbated religious intolerance in Addu.

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Laamu Hithadhoo ‘Responsible Officer’ arrested on suspicion of arson

Responsible Officer Abdul Raheem Idris, the highest-ranking civil servant at the Laamu Hithadhoo island council, has been arrested on suspicion of arson following a recent spate of fires in the island, reports Haveeru.

According to Island Councillor Mohamed Hussein, police took Idrees into custody last Saturday after a number of palm trees were set on fire.

The Councillor explained that police evidently had reason to believe that Idrees was behind the acts of arson.

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Three men stabbed in cafe, two motorcycles burnt

A group of men attacked three men inside a coffee shop in Mahchangolhi last night.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that the three men were injured and were admitted to Indira Gandi Memorial Hospital (IGMH).

”One of them was stabbed in the back and his condition is serious, the other two were stablised after medical treatment and have now have been discharged,” said Shiyam. ”They were attacked while they were inside a cafe.”

He said that the coffee shop had requested police not to reveal its identity ”as the case has no connection with the coffee shop.”

He noted that police have been continuing special operations to curb gang violence and crime in Male’.

”But now we are not conducting operations at the level we did during the holidays,” he added.

Also last night, two motorbikes parked in two different areas of Male’ were burned in an apparent arson attack.

Police said that one motorbike parked in Buruzumagu was found burned at 3:10am last night.

Police officers patrolling the streets saw the motorbike on fire and doused it with water, and the motorbike was not severely damaged.

Another motorbike parked near Galolhu cemetery was found burnt last night at 4:00am, police said.

Police said that one ‘Pulsar’ motorcycle and two ‘Wave’ motorcycles were severely damaged in the incident.

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MDP head office damaged in alleged arson attack

The head office of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) suffered almost Rf 1 million in damage in an alleged arson attack last night, according to managing operator Ibrahim Manik.

”Photocopy machines, fax machines, printers, huge speakers, microphones, cloths and flags were burned in the arson attack at around 12:45am, last night after the MDP rally,” Manik claimed.

The arson attack caused more than Rf 900,000 (US$70,o00) in damage to the office.

Manik said that when he came back from dinner after the rally, some of the MDP supporters present at the head office claimed to have heard something hitting the roof.

”So we checked the area, because recently some people on different occasions have attempted to attack us with petrol bombs,” Manik claimed. ”We checked but did not see anything, but after a while we started smelling smoke in the area so I went to check the depository room.”

Manik said he saw clothes in the room on fire, and ”I called the people outside and told them the place was on fire.”

”We started to evacuate the room, but everything was destroyed after we evacuated. We controlled the fire using a water tap, but it was a dangerous attack and it caused us to lose much of our valuable property.”

Manik claimed the fire was the result of an attack orchestrated by “some opponents.”

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said the case was reported to police, who were now investigating the case. Nobody has been arrested in connection with the matter, he said.

Recently a group of people attacked and destroyed the glass windows of shops belonging to Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) deputy leader Ibrahim Shareef.

In another incident, a group of people attacked the house and car belonging to People’s Alliance [PA] leader and MP Abdulla Yameen.

Very recently during an MDP protest, protesters threw stones at the house of Deputy Leader of PA Ahmed Nazim, breaking the window of the house’s first floor at midnight.

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“Dhiraagu fire was arson”

The fire which gutted the Dhiraagu building in Thaa Veymandhoo has been confirmed as a case of arson by police.

The police said there was signs that the door had been forced open, which led them to believe the fire was deliberately lit.

Marketing and communications manager for Dhiraagu, Mohamed Mirushaan, said the fire had crippled all forms of communication on the island.

No one has been arrested so far and police are currently investigating the case.

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Motorcycle burns in Hulhumale

A Pulsar motorcycle was set on fire last night in Hulhumale in what police believe to be a case of arson.

According to the police the incident occured at 3:00am and the fire was put out within a few minutes with the assistance of the MNDF fire and rescue team.

The serious and organized crime unit is investigating the case, police said.

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