Male: As the crisis in Maldives deepens, India on Friday sent its special envoy to Male to assess the situation in the island nation.

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 President Mohammad Nasheed who has been insisting that he was ousted in a coup.

"I have sent an envoy to Maldives to assess the situation," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told reporters at the India-EU summit here.

The Prime Minister said he sincerely hoped the matter can be resolved through peaceful dialogue.

"It will be our effort to use our influence in that direction," he said.

A Maldivian court had issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr Nasheed on Thursday, a day after his supporters went on a rampage in the capital Male. Mr Nasheed has not been arrested yet.

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

Tags: Maldives, Maldives political crisis, Maldives president, Male, Mohamed Nasheed