President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, who is widely recognized for introducing democracy to the secluded resort islands, stepped down on Tuesday following weeks of opposition protests that escalated into a police mutiny and what his aide described as a coup. Nasheed, the Maldives' first democratically elected leader, transferred control of the Indian Ocean archipelago to Vice-President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, stating that staying in power would necessitate the use of force against the people. In a televised speech, Nasheed explained, "I am resigning because I do not believe in ruling through force. I fear that if the government remains in power, it will resort to using force, causing harm to many citizens. I am stepping down because I am concerned that foreign influences may come into play if the government continues to hold power." It was not immediately clear what influences he was referring to, but Hassan Saeed, leader of the DQP and an Indian diplomatic source in Colombo, mentioned that Nasheed had asked for help from India, which was denied. In 1988, India had helped thwart a coup in the Maldives by sending soldiers to support the government. India's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Syed Akbaruddin, stated that the rebellion was an internal matter for the Maldives to resolve. Nasheed won the election in 2008 with promises of bringing full democracy to the islands and advocating for action against climate change and rising sea levels. However, he faced criticism for arresting a judge he believed was corrupt and loyal to his predecessor, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had ruled for three decades. Protests following the arrest of Nasheed sparked a constitutional crisis, with him facing accusations of behaving like a dictator. An official at Nasheed's office, who wished to remain anonymous, described the situation as a coup, alleging that the police, supporters of former president Gayoom, and certain factions of the military had pressured Nasheed to resign. The new president claimed that Nasheed was placed under protective police custody for his own safety. "We will demand that Nasheed face trial for his corrupt actions and for disregarding the rule of law," stated Saeed from the DQP. He also mentioned that they will fully support the new president. Vandals reportedly targeted the lobby of VTV TV station, which is connected to the opposition, while rebellious police officers attacked and set fire to Nasheed's Maldives Democratic Party headquarters before taking control of the state broadcaster MNBC and renaming it TV Maldives, a name used during Gayoom's presidency. On Tuesday, soldiers used tear gas on police and protesters who were surrounding the Maldives National Defence Force headquarters in Republic Square. Later that day, a crowd of demonstrators gathered outside the president's office chanting "Gayoom!". Gayoom's opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives accused the military of using rubber bullets on protesters, with a party spokesman stating that "loads of people" were injured. However, an official close to the president denied the use of rubber bullets and confirmed that some police officers had attacked a ruling party facility against orders. The official also mentioned that Gayoom's party had called for the overthrow of the democratically elected government and for citizens to launch jihad against the president. The protests and political maneuvering leading up to next year's presidential election have resulted in parties adopting strong Islamic rhetoric and accusing Nasheed of being anti-Islamic. The conflict highlights the ongoing rivalry between Gayoom and Nasheed, with Nasheed having been imprisoned for a total of six years during Gayoom's presidency. The vice-president is expected to lead a national unity government until the election. Despite the turmoil, the 900,000 tourists who visit the Maldives each year are largely unaware, as they are transported directly to their luxurious island resorts, shielded from the country's political unrest and strict Islamic laws. Nasheed gained fame for his efforts to raise awareness about the threat of rising sea levels to his nation. In 2009, he made headlines by holding a cabinet meeting underwater, with ministers wearing scuba gear. Despite this, an Asian diplomat in Male mentioned that the public tends to remember Nasheed's controversial decision to have a judge arrested for alleged corruption. On the other hand, a Twitter user named Alexander Brown shared his experience of witnessing a government overthrow in the Maldives while watching a fashion photoshoot at the Four Seasons resort.