Police have begun investigating an incident where some foreigners appeared to be performing a Hindu ritual before starting the Addu Road Development project.
A video on social media showed a group of foreigners gathered around a road construction machine and one of the individuals appears to crack a coconut on the machine after saying some words.
Breaking a coconut before starting any new undertaking is an age-old Hindu ritual.
The incident has been brought to Police attention by the Islamic Ministry.
Police said that they are actively investigating an incident where a group of foreigners performed a ritual of another religion on a street in the Hithadhoo district of Addu city before kicking off the pavement project of the road.
The Maldives is a hundred percent Islamic nation and is prohibited by law for people of other religions to perform their rituals and use religious symbols in the country.
Islamic Minister Dr. Ahmed Zahir has said that while the Maldives is undertaking several projects across the country and with many foreigners involved in these projects, it was important for them to be aware of Maldivian laws and regulations on religious matters.
