We feel safe and protected, say Indians working in Maldives

Indians living in Maldives feel safe even though the Indian archepelago plunged into a crisis following the resignation of democratically elected president Mohammad Nasheed on Tuesday after weeks of opposition protest turned into a police mutiny.

Indians living in Maldives feel safe even though the Indian archepelago plunged into a crisis following the resignation of democratically elected president Mohammad Nasheed on Tuesday after weeks of opposition protest turned into a police mutiny.

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Amid reports of protests by Nasheed’s supporters in the county’s capital Male on Wednesday — with police retaliating in full force — the 30,000-strong Indian workforce spread across 200 islands in the island nation felt protected.

“We are safe and attending to our business as usual,” said Salil Panigrahi, director of Eon Resorts headquartered in Male. He said the transition of power on Tuesday was without any untoward incident. “In fact, I heard the news of the transition of power on television two hours after it happened, although my office is not very far from the presidential palace,” Panigrahi, who has been living in Male for the past 15 years, said.

Another Indian, Dillip Ratho, who works as an accountant in Male told HT that the transition of power has ceased to disrupt life in the island country. “I went to my office yesterday [Tuesday] and today I am back at my work station. There is absolutely no problem for not only Indians, but all expats living here. Their families, too, are safe,” Ratho stated.