Man falls to his death in capital

A 22-year-old man died Sunday morning after falling from the fifth floor of a building in the capital.

Local media identified him as Ahmed Iyash.

He had been in the Venus building in the Maafannu ward of Malé which houses a hardware store on the ground floor and a hostel on the upper floors.

Hospital officials told Mihaaru he was dead by the time he arrived at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital.

Staff from the hostel told the Maldives Independent that Yash and five others, who had been staying in a room at the hostel, were heard arguing Saturday night.

Hostel staff contacted the police early Sunday morning.

Iyash went up to the fifth floor and was seen hanging from a balcony after the argument, a hostel employee said.

“We were on the phone with the police as he was hanging from the balcony. But they said they can’t enter without a warrant. The owner even gave police permission to enter,” he told the Maldives Independent.

“One of our staff was on the way up to keep him from jumping when a crash was heard.”

Hostel staff said the people with Iyash were taken into custody. Police said nobody was arrested in connection with his death.

There was no police tape at the scene Sunday afternoon.

Friends paid tribute to Iyash on Facebook and his funeral will take place Sunday evening.