Court Orders Release of Sinamalé Bridge Jumper, Directs Access to Mental Health Care

The Criminal Court has ordered the release of the foreign national who was rescued after jumping into the sea from the Sinamalé Bridge, while directing authorities to facilitate his immediate access to mental health services.

The court said it found no grounds to keep the man, identified as Mehdi Hassan Emon from Bangladesh, in custody and ordered his release.

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The order also directed the Maldives Police Service, with assistance from relevant authorities, to facilitate the man’s access to a mental health evaluation.

The court further stated that there was no legal obstruction to proceeding with the man’s deportation process.

The man was rescued early Thursday after jumping from the Sinamalé Bridge, according to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).

The incident was reported to the MNDF Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at around 12:44am. Coast Guard divers from the Second Squadron, operating under the Malé Area Command, were deployed to search for him.

The divers located the man clinging to one of the bridge’s pillars and brought him aboard an MNDF Coast Guard harbour craft before handing him over to the police.