A HA. Hoarafushi man was found seriously injured and unconscious in an abandoned house on the island, with minors at the juvenile halfway house on the island suspected of having attacked him. 

Hoarafushi Council President Mohamed Asfam said that the juvenile delinquents housed at the halfway house had assaulted the man who had been fishing on a pier just outside the facility. 

He said that initially, a verbal altercation occurred, following which the minors chased the man. The man, attempting to escape, had gone into an abandoned house. Three minors had then followed him inside and assaulted him, leaving him with serious injuries, the council president said. 

The victim is a 30 year old man, according to Asfam, who also cited the health centre and said the man's condition is serious. 

"He received very serious injuries. It was a vicious attack," he said. 

The victim has now been transferred to the Dhihdhoo Hospital for further treatment. 

Police have said that they have received reports of three minors housed at the juvenile residential treatment centre in Hoarafushi leaving the facility and assaulting a Hoarafushi resident. 

Police said that they are working with relevant authorities to investigate the incident, without offering any further details. 

Videos circulating on social media show three minors sitting on the wall of the halfway house and hurling abuse and making rude gestures. Police and several island residents are seen in the vicinity. The victim appears to be unconscious in a separate video of the victim being transferred for treatment.

The halfway house, located near the beach, was established on January 30 last year. 

According to the Juvenile Justice Act, children involved in crimes, or at risk of being exposed to criminal activity, must be institutionalized for rehabilitation. However, this remained to be implemented despite six years having passed since the bill was ratified in 2019.