461 people fined for violation of lockdown order

Maldives Police Service, on Saturday, announced that 461 people have been fined for being out in the streets without a permit amid the lockdown on the greater Male’ area.

According to police records, 101 people have been fined from Male’, four people from Hulhumale’ and four people from Vilimale’ on Friday alone.

And since the lockdown, which took effect on April 15, total 404 people have been fined from Male’, 30 from Hulhumale’ and 27 from Vilimale’.

Venturing out of home without the necessary permit is punishable with a MVR 1,000 fine.

5 repeat violators were arrested on Friday.

According to the police, it has issued 4,322 to delivery vehicles so far; 3,772 stickers were issued for delivery vehicles in Male’, 484 stickers for delivery vehicles in Hulhumale’, and 66 stickers for delivery vehicles in Vilimale’.

People who need to venture out of their homes for access to essential services such as visits to ATMs or shops are required to obtain a permit from the police. The use of the permit is limited to specific purposes and specific locations.

At a National Emergency Operations Center briefing on Thursday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ismail Naveen said the police received an average of 7,000 requests for permits per day.

Naveen warned that misuse of the permits would be met with immediate revocation of permits.

The stressed that the purpose of the lockdown was to curb the spread of the virus, and that failing to stay home and maintain social distancing would make curbing the spread of the virus all the more difficult.

129 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Maldives.