Mysterious Explosions In Malé; None Hurt

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A series of three small explosive devices were set off in the Henveiru area of the capital, Malé, on Tuesday night.

No one was hurt by the apparently home-made devices consisting of metal pieces and an acidic substance in plastic drinks bottles.

But the explosions follow an initial blast in the Maafaanu district early on Monday morning, and police are now investigating both incidents.

“A forensic team is on its way,” said a police officer at the scene on Tuesday.

A local resident said, “This area has a big group who create a lot of disturbances. A lot of disturbance. Not even an adult can walk around safely...There is not a single person who has not called the police about this.”

“There was a group who came to fight a few days before [the start of] Ramadan,” the resident added. “They had knives. By the time police came, they had left and put the knives in the drain. The next morning, police came and found the knives.”

Tuesday’s three explosions were set off at fifteen-minute intervals, one near the Henveiru cemetery and the other two on a nearby street.

Witnesses described a loud noise and strong smell from the devices, which apparently explode some minutes after being planted.

The local resident said police had been called before about disturbances in the area, but had left after giving advice to the perpetrators.

“After the police left, one boy came and said, ‘From now on we will disturb you. And you won’t even be able to sleep,’” the resident said.

The sound of an previous explosion, about 1.30 Monday morning near Maafaanu’s Eid Mosque, caused alarm, but residents and the police were unable to locate its source.