Investigation underway after accused thief assaulted and covered in paint

Police are currently investigating a case involving a 49-year-old Maldivian man who has been accused of robbery and was subsequently subjected to physical assault and had paint poured on his body.

The specific details of what the man is accused of stealing from a shop in the Maafannu ward of Male' City, the capital, remain unclear.

The incident took place in public, as captured on a video that shows individuals hitting the accused man with their hands, feet, and a paint can.

Authorities received a report of the incident on Sunday night, but by the time the police arrived at the scene, the attackers had already fled. The accused man was then taken to the police headquarters.

According to a Maldivian native Dhivehi language report in the local media outlet Mihaaru, the police have launched an investigation utilizing CCTV footage, which shows both the alleged robber and the individuals who assaulted him.

The video evidence indicates that the accused thief himself spread white paint over his own body.