Police: Gangs planning more attacks

Criminal gangs operating in Male’ are planning more attacks, state the police.

The police made the statement during the remand hearing held on Monday for Siruhan Ali, 20, one of the suspects in the stabbing death of a young man in a shop Male’ City on February  24.

Mohamed Ahmed Didi, 30, was stabbed inside a shop located near the BG Garage in Maafannu district of Male’ at around 09:30 pm.

According to eye witnesses, Mohamed had run into the shop, Krasa, to escape his pursuers. Two people on a motorbike arrived shortly afterwards, and stabbed him, leaving him on the floor in a pool of blood.

He sustained critical injuries in the attack and died while under treatment at the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) on February 27, a day after police arrested Siruhan.

On Monday, the Criminal Court found the evidence against Siruhan, including CCTV footage and crime scene photos sufficient.

He was deemed a danger to the community under the Anti-Intimidation and Possession of Sharp-edged Instruments Act, and remanded in jail pending the outcome of trial.

At the hearing, police said they had received intel of plans by gangs in Male’ to carry out more attacks.

The stabbing on February 24 had come a few hours after two men wearing helmets and masks vandalized Juice Time, a coffee shop in Hulhumale’, using hammers.

Male’ has seen a rise in gang attacks in recent weeks.