News Desk
A high-speed, wrong-way motorcycle crash in Hulhumalé late Wednesday night has triggered public outrage after it emerged that the driver was meant to be in police custody under a court remand order at the time of the incident.
The driver, identified as Ahmed Uvais of H. Lamiya, had been remanded in custody for 15 days on 1 October in connection with a fraud investigation. Despite the court order, he was released back onto the streets in less than a week without public explanation, raising serious questions regarding police conduct and oversight.
Police initially omitted the driver’s identity in their preliminary statement. However, authorities later confirmed that Uvais did not hold a valid licence for the class of motorcycle he was operating, and was driving unlawfully at the time of the collision, carrying three passengers.
The crash left five people severely injured, all of whom were rushed to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). Two victims remain on ventilators in the intensive care unit, while two others have been discharged following treatment in the ward. Among those injured were two members of the same family.
The premature release of detainees—often described as a “revolving door” system—is an issue that has previously drawn strong criticism in the Maldives. The failure to hold individuals ordered into custody, leading to further high-risk incidents in public spaces, continues to undermine institutional trust and spark deep public concern.
