Autopsy confirms Athuhar died by hanging

The autopsy conducted on Adam Athuhar, a suspect who died in police custody earlier this month, confirms he died by hanging, says the police.

Athuhar, 32, was arrested from Male’ City on the night of August 29 after he held a woman hostage at knifepoint and attempted to evade arrest. The police hit him in the back of the head with a baton to immobilize him and rescue the woman. He was treated at two different hospitals in Male’ before he was taken to the Dhoonidhoo Custodial Jail.

He was rushed to the Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male’ on September 1 after he was found hanging in his jail cell in an apparent suicide attempt. He was treated on a ventilator at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and was pronounced dead at 04:08 pm on September 2.

In a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Head of Major Crime Investigations, Chief Superintendent of Police Hassan Shifau told reporters that he is unable to disclose much detail about the case, as Athuhar’s death is the subject of independent inquiries.

“We have received the autopsy report. It shows the cause of death is consistent with death due to hanging,” he said.

Shifau noted that the custodial death is the subject of investigations by the National Integrity Commission (NIC) and the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM).

“…I believe you will need to clarify additional details from them,” he said.

Shifau said that the autopsy, which was done overseas, was carried out under the supervisor of the police. He said that a representative from HRCM had also been involved.

Information shared by the police show that it took 30 minutes before officers viewing security cameras found Athuhar hanging in his jail cell. It took another 23 minutes to take him to IGMH.

The police conducted an autopsy to determine the cause of death despite resistance from his family, who claim foul play.

The autopsy was carried out overseas last weekend, and his body was transported back to Male’ and buried on Sunday.

A number of rights groups have expressed concern over the circumstances leading to Athuhar’s death, including the use of force by the police during his arrest and the decision to place Athuhar in remand given his health and medical condition.

They called for a free and independent investigation into both his arrest and his death.