Father arrested for sexually assaulting, mentally and physically abusing daughter

A father was arrested on Thursday for allegedly sexually assaulting and mentally and physically abusing his daughter in an island in the south of the country.

Police confirmed that a 41-year-old man was arrested in connection with the case, which was reported on August 31. Sun has verified that the suspect is the child’s father.

In a message sent to the media, police said the child was assaulted by a man in a trusted position. “A case of alleged sexual assault, physical and mental abuse of a 13-year-old girl by a person in a trusted position was reported to the police on August 31, 2026,” police said.

Separately, a 28-year-old Indian man was arrested on a warrant on August 28 for allegedly sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl and recording the acts on an island under the South Central Police Division. The child’s father was also arrested in that case and has been remanded for 30 days. Police said investigations are ongoing.

Police statistics show 174 sexual offence cases have been reported so far this year. According to UNICEF research, one in three girls in the Maldives experiences sexual abuse at least once in their lives, and 15 percent of children in the country are victims of such abuse.