New Delhi: A crowd of people disrupted a yoga event organised by the Indian High Commission in the Maldives capital Male on Tuesday morning. Police used tear gas and pepper spray to control the situation, an organiser said, NDTV reported quoting Reuters.
More than 150 people, including diplomats and government officers, were taking part in an event celebrating International Day of Yoga in a stadium when the crowd attacked, vandalising property, one of the organisers, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak with the media, told Reuters.
Earlier, the protesters brandished placards proclaiming that yoga was against the tenets of Islam.
Notably, Islam is the state religion in the Maldives with a population of about half a million.
Police responded with anti-riot measures and later used pepper spray and tear gas to control the crowd and secure the area, Superintendent of Police Fathmath Nashwa told Reuters. Six people have been arrested in connection with the incident, Nashwa said.
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said a police investigation into the incident had begun.
An investigation has been launched by @PoliceMv into the incident that happened this morning at Galolhu stadium.
This is being treated as a matter of serious concern and those responsible will be swiftly brought before the law.
— Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (@ibusolih) June 21, 2022
