A 25-year-old man was stabbed to death Friday night near the halfway house for recovering addicts in Hulhumalé.
Local media has identified the victim as Haris Abdul Ghafoor from the island of Dhaandhoo in Gaaf Alif atoll. According to the Hulhumalé hospital, he was stabbed eight times and was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Raajje TV reported that Haris was staying at the halfway house, which is located away from residential neighbourhoods in the capital’s suburb. Eyewitnesses told the station that he was stabbed by two assailants on a motorbike. He was rushed to the hospital on a pickup.
Nine suspects, eight male and one female, have since been arrested, the police spokesman said.
A 23-year-old man was also stabbed in a gang fight near the parliament house in Malé around 11:30 pm last night. He is undergoing treatment at the ADK private hospital.
Late on Friday night, the police conducted a security operation and arrested four suspects from the Athuma house in the Maafanu ward of the capital. The suspects were reportedly trying to get rid of knives and other evidence when Specialist Operations officers broke down the door of the house.
According to newspaper Mihaaru, the stabbing in Malé was retaliation for the murder of a 19-year-old man on September 23, which took place near the house where the suspects were arrested from late last night.
Friday night’s fatal stabbing was meanwhile the seventh murder of 2017.
The police revealed last week that the murder of Nadheem Abdul Rahman in late July was a revenge killing arising from a feud between two rival gangs.
A day after Nadheem passed away from injuries, 25-year-old Mohamed Anas, a speedboat captain from the island of Meedhoo in Raa atoll, was brutally stabbed to death in a motorcycle service centre in Malé.
The murder prompted an outpouring of grief on the island. In early August, hundreds of people clad in black and carrying banners and placards joined family and friends for a protest march demanding justice for the killing.
The murders in late July came amid a spike in violent crimes and led to a man-hunt for 34 suspects, most of whom have since been taken into custody.
Photo of Haris from Raajje.mv.
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