India sends special envoy to crisis-hit Maldives

As the crisis in Maldives deepened, India on Friday sent its special envoy to Male to assess the situation in the island where former President Mohamed Nasheed was ousted in a coup.

M Ganapathi, secretary (west) in the external affairs ministry left for Male with a brief to assess the situation in the Indian Ocean atoll, which has plunged into a crisis after the ouster of Nasheed.

"I have sent an envoy to Maldives to assess the situation," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told reporters at the India-European Union summit in Delhi.

Dr Singh said that it was his sincere hope that the matter can be resolved through peaceful dialogue.

"It will be our effort to use our influence in that direction," the prime minister said.

A Maldivian court has issued a warrant for the arrest of Nasheed, a day after his supporters went on a rampage in the capital Male.

United Nations special envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco is also in Male and has urged for calm.