An Indian police officer made some 10 foreigners, who broke a coronavirus lockdown in one of the country’s towns known for Beatles, to write an expression of apology 500 times each.
The nationwide lockdown was imposed near the end of March, with residents permitted to leave their homes only for essential services such as buying groceries and medicine.
Reports say the travellers from Israel, Mexico, Australia and Austria were caught taking a walk in Rishikesh, where the Beatles sought spirituality at an Ashram in 1968.
Local police officer Vinod Sharma is reported as saying that each of the tourists was made to write “I did not follow the rules of lockdown so I am so sorry” 500 times.
He said more than 700 foreign tourists from the US, Australia, Mexico and Israel staying in the area had flouted the lockdown rules, the apology writing exercise was meant to serve as a deterrent.
Following the development, police have hinted that they would direct hotels in the area not to allow foreign guests to step out unless they accompanied by local helpers.
The apology writing punishment is not the only means the Indian police uses to ensure people comply with the measures aimed at breaking the transmission of the COVID-19. Offenders are sometimes made to wear coronavirus-shaped helmets.
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Meanwhile, in some instances, people caught flouting the rules are made to do squats and leapfrogs as punishment.
Police reportedly arrested nine people violating the lockdown after an officer’s hand was chopped off in northern Punjab state’s Patiala district.
Officials said on Sunday, a group were stopped in a vehicle at a checkpoint and ordered to return but they refused to comply and the driver hit the accelerator and smashed into steel barricades.
As officers clashed with the group, one of them pulled out a sword, slicing off a policeman’s hand, injuring six other officers in the process.
India had registered more than 8,300 coronavirus cases and 273 deaths from the disease as of Sunday.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to extend a nationwide lockdown that was originally slated to end on Tuesday, for another two weeks.
Some states have already extended the restrictions.