A 42-year-old foreign national has been arrested in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a 16-year-old girl on an island in the southern Maldives.
Police said the case was reported on Friday from an island within the jurisdiction of the South Police division. The suspect was taken into custody the same day as part of the investigation.
Authorities have not publicly identified the man or officially confirmed his nationality. However, The Standard understands that the suspect is a Bangladeshi national.
Further details surrounding the alleged abuse, including the island where the incident occurred, have not been disclosed by police. The case remains under investigation.
The arrest comes amid heightened concern over a series of child sexual abuse cases recently reported from the southern region.
In a separate case last week, a father was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing his 13-year-old daughter.
Another father was recently taken into custody in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of his three-year-old daughter. He is also accused of recording the abuse.
The recent cases have once again drawn attention to the protection of children from sexual violence and the importance of reporting suspected abuse to the relevant authorities.
As investigations remain ongoing, no determination of guilt has been made against the suspects, and the allegations will be subject to the criminal justice process.
