COLOMBO, Sept 20: Authorities in the Maldives imposed a night curfew on the capital Male on Saturday after a man’s death in prison sparked unprecedented street rioting, residents said.

Armed police patrolled the streets after mobs set fire to several vehicles and government buildings on the tiny capital island, whose 80,000 residents were ordered to stay indoors until Sunday morning.

Previously police had fired teargas to break up mobs in the city, which has no record of civil unrest.

The ministry of defence and national security announced over state radio and television that the curfew will be enforced from 10pm on Saturday until 4.30am on Sunday.

President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom also went on national television appealing for calm.

After the curfew announcement and the show of force by the country’s National Security Force (NSS), the situation appeared to have quietened down, a resident said.

The usually peaceful atoll nation saw crowds gathering at street corners and throwing projectiles at police vehicles, a courthouse and an elections office.

By late Saturday, fire engines and armed police vehicles were seen patrolling the narrow paved streets of the capital. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Maldivian Information Minister Ibrahim Manikku said he could not confirm that shots heard by residents had been fired by police breaking up the mobs.

“There was some case where some people overturned vehicles,” Manikku said.

The troubles erupted on Saturday afternoon as news reached the capital of a death in the Maafushi state prison, located on another island which is about 45 minutes away by speedboat.

“There has been one death as a result of a clash between prisoners yesterday (Friday) at Maafushi,” Manikku said. He said the victim, a young Maldivian man, was serving time for a drug-related offence.

He said the man’s relatives had blamed police for the death. He added that the situation was now under control.

The violence came as the country’s elections commission announced that five people, including Gayoom, who has led the archipelago since 1978, were in the running for the presidency.

Officials, however, said the rioting was unrelated to the elections.

Crime is rare in the South Asian atoll nation which is better known for its sandy white beaches, shallow lagoons of clear water and desert islands.

The 1.6 kilometre-long capital island last saw street violence in 1988, when Sri Lankan Tamil mercenaries led by a disgruntled Maldivian businessman launched an unsuccessful attempt to oust Gayoom.

But there is no record of residents rising up against the authorities. —AFP