E-Paper
Maldives orders probe after mob storms Yoga Day event organised by Indian Cultural Center
According to reports, police were forced to fire tear gas shells to disperse the protesters.
The Maldives government has ordered a probe after a mob disrupted a Yoga Day event being held in a stadium in the archipelago's capital, Male, and allegedly threatened the attendees. Taking to Twitter, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said the Maldives Police have launched a probe into the incident.
“An investigation has been launched by @PoliceMv into the incident that happened this morning at Galolhu Stadium. This is being treated as a matter of serious concern and those responsible will be swiftly brought before the law,” Solih wrote on Twitter.
In a video tweeted by BNN Newsroom, the mob can be seen storming the Maldives National Football Stadium, as attendees scramble to safety. The event had been organised by the Indian Cultural Center in collaboration with the island nation's Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment.
According to reports, police were forced to fire tear gas shells to disperse the mob. The identity of the attackers was not immediately known, though BNN Newsroom described them as a ‘group of extremists.’ Also, there was no word on the number of arrests made, if any.
Also Read | Oman, Maldives and Indonesia also message India on BJP leaders’ remarks
While the police are yet to ascribe a motive to the attack, yoga meditation is a hotly-debated topic among Islamic scholars, some of whom believe the practice is similar to ‘sun worship or veneration of the sun.’
Also Read | More parties in Maldives oppose ‘India Out’ campaign led by Abdulla Yameen
Maldives is a Muslim-majority country.
Neither India's Ministry of external affairs nor the Indian High Commission in Male have reacted to the incident thus far.
