Nation in Shock: 21-Year-Old Critical After Building Fall, Fueling Public Outrage and Calls for Answers

The Maldives Police Service stated last night that the young woman who fell from a building was under the influence of drugs and that there is no evidence she was pushed, in a case that has shocked the nation and left many calling for answers.

The case has sparked widespread public outrage and concern, as the 21-year-old woman—who sustained life-threatening injuries after falling from a building—continues to fight for her life.

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CCTV Footage

During a closed press conference, police shared CCTV footage showing the 21-year-old woman and a 21-year-old man walking barefoot on the streets of Malé before entering a building. Both appeared to be visibly intoxicated.

Authorities found the woman on the roof of the building on Saturday. She remains under treatment at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). Rumours circulated online suggested she may have been pushed or sexually assaulted prior to the fall.

Media present at the briefing reported that police showed footage of the pair struggling to walk straight, apparently due to drug use. Mihaaru News reported that the two entered a building on Buruzu Magu—identified as Henveiru Fentonia—despite having no known connection to the property. Police believe they entered because the door was unlocked.

Security cameras inside the building recorded the pair moving through the stairwells of the seventh, eighth, and ninth floors and knocking on several apartment doors. Police claimed the two engaged in sexual activity in the stairwells, although this footage was not shown to the media. However, other footage showed the woman later wearing a T-shirt previously worn by the man.

CCTV captured the woman climbing to the eighth floor, knocking on a door, and proceeding to the ninth floor. Mihaaru reported that she may have been searching for the man. At around 4:52 a.m., the man followed her upstairs. Unable to see the woman, he continued climbing and reportedly heard a loud thud, which police believe was the sound of her fall. The man remained visible on the stairwell at the time, according to police.

Police Inspector Mohamed Samih said investigators found no indication that the woman was pushed. The CCTV footage did not show any such action, and no one else was present at the scene. He confirmed that although people heard the impact of the fall, no one witnessed it. A passer-by saw the woman lying on the ground and alerted police around 7:23 a.m. on Friday. According to Inspector Samih, she was conscious but unable to move due to her injuries.

Footage reportedly showed the man searching for the woman after her fall, crying, and running into the streets for help. However, police said he later returned home without contacting them.

No Evidence of Sexual Assault

Police stated they had found no evidence of rape but did confirm both individuals tested positive for drugs. The man tested positive for cannabis, while the woman tested positive for an unspecified substance. Police collected the man’s sample the day after the incident.

Police also reviewed the pair’s activities earlier that night. Inspector Samih said a group of eight young people—three women and five men—forced their way into a house in central Malé at around 12:30 a.m. Four individuals, including the injured woman and three men, left at about 3:40 a.m. and arrived at another house on Ameenee Magu by 4:00 a.m. They left 10 minutes later.

After leaving, the woman and the man walked barefoot along Buruzu Magu, while the other two men rode a motorcycle. Police said the woman lay briefly on the narrow road in front of the building before entering. The man entered shortly afterwards.

No Arrests, Details of the Houses the Group Entered Previously Not Shared

Police confirmed that they had identified all eight individuals from the earlier house incident and had questioned many of them. Inspector Samih clarified that none of them appeared to be involved in politics. Police have not made any arrests and have not issued formal accusations.

Mihaaru reported that police searched both the Fentonia building and the home of the man who accompanied the woman. However, they did not search the other residences visited earlier that night. When asked, police stated these locations were not relevant to the investigation and declined to disclose their details.

Police have barred the man from leaving the country. The woman is no longer on ventilator support.

Police Refuse to Disclose Identity of the Man

Despite having identified the man, the police refuse to provide the identity of the man who entered Henveiru Fontania with the woman, and left the scene without reporting it to the police.

However, Dhauru reported, they have confirmed the man with the injured woman is Raud Ahmed Zilal, the younger brother of Daudh Ahmed, the Under Secretary for Digital Strategy at the President’s Office.