Police open internal probe into claim officer assaulted teen

The police have decided to open an internal investigation into the allegation that traffic police assaulted a teenage girl at a checkpoint in Hulhumale’.

The decision to open the investigation was confirmed by police spokesperson Ahmed Shifan in a post on X on Tuesday night.

MPS has made the decision to carry out an internal investigation into the events that occurred at Hulhumale Phase 2 last night. @PoliceMv

— Ahmed Shifan (@Shifan4040) March 26, 2024

He did not provide further details.

The incident in question took place in Hulhumale’ Phase II at around 10:05 pm on Monday night.

CCTV footage of the incident shared on social media shows around five traffic police at a checkpoint in Hulhumale’ Phase II. One of the officers lifts his traffic baton to stop a motorcycle, which then crashes, throwing the male driver and female passenger to the ground. The officers rush towards them, but they are seen getting up unassisted.

The family of the female passenger, identified as a 17-year-old girl, claims the officer hit her with the traffic baton. They gathered outside the Hulhumale’ Phase II Police Station to protest the alleged act of police brutality.

However, the police have denied the claim.

Earlier on Tuesday, Shifan said that the motorcycle crashed after it accelerated upon reaching the checkpoint and attempted to evade the police.

He said that the person driving the motorcycle was unlicensed, adding that “persons injured where treated at the Hulhumale’ Hospital.”