No fewer than 10 foreigners were forced to write “I am so sorry” 500 times for breaching Coronavirus lockdown in India as a form of repentance.
Recall that following the outbreak of Coronavirus in India, the authorities imposed a nationwide lockdown with residents only permitted to leave their homes only for essential services such as buying groceries and medicine.
According to report, the ten travellers on Sunday, April 12 from Israel, Mexico, Australia, and Austria were caught taking a walk in Rishikesh, an ancient city where The Beatles sought spirituality in 1968
Reacting to the incident, Local police officer Vinod Sharma disclosed that they were each made to write “I did not follow the rules of lockdown so I am so sorry” 500 times.
More than 700 foreign tourists from the US, Australia, Mexico and Israel staying in the area had flouted the lockdown rules, Sharma said, adding the unusual punishment was handed out to teach them a lesson.
Police said they would direct hotels in the area to allow foreign guests to step out only if accompanied by local helpers.
Establishments that did not follow the order could face legal action, Sharma said.
In another news, police said they arrested nine people violating the lockdown after an officer’s hand was chopped off in northern Punjab state’s Patiala district.
The group were stopped in a vehicle at a checkpoint and refusing to turn back as ordered, hit the accelerator and smashed into steel barricades, officials said.
During the clash, one of them pulled out a sword, slicing off a policeman’s hand. Six more officers were injured in the attack, police said.
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.
