Indian Officials Force 10 Tourists To Write ‘Sorry’ 500 Times For Breaking Lockdown Rules
Ten tourists have been forced to write ‘I am so sorry’ 500 times after breaching coronavirus lockdown rules in Indian town.
Much like the UK, India imposed a nationwide lockdown towards the end of March with residents permitted to leave their homes only for essential services such as buying groceries and medicine.
The foreign travellers – from Israel, Mexico, Australia and Austria – opted to break the guidance and take a walk in Rishikesh.
As a punishment, local police officer Vinod Sharma told AFP they were each made to write ‘I did not follow the rules of lockdown so I am so sorry’ 500 times.
He added that more than 700 foreign tourists from the US, Australia, Mexico and Israel staying in the area had flouted the lockdown rules and the detention-esque punishment was devised to teach them a lesson.
MSN reported that in some states police were seen in videos on social media beating drivers on roadsides and making people out and about during lockdown do squats and leapfrogs as punishment.
Over in the UK, more than 1,000 fines have been issued across England and Wales to people caught flouting the government-imposed rules.
Speaking at the media briefing on Saturday, Martin Hewitt, Chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, outlined that 1,084 people have been fined for defying the lockdown, across 37 police forces between the two countries.
Mr Hewitt said: “Since the new powers were introduced, officers have engaged with thousands of people and in most cases these people have quickly understood why it’s important to follow the rules and no enforcement has been necessary.
“Officers on the ground are telling me that they’re seeing a great amount of support from the public and indeed getting thanks for the role that they are playing. However, we have had a small minority of people who – despite our best efforts – have refused to follow the instructions and officers have needed to use their enforcement powers.
“Next week we will publish full data on enforcement so far which will include this Easter weekend but I can tell you now that using early data from 37 forces that 1,084 fines have been issued in England and Wales up to Thursday 8 April. That’s an average of less than 84 a day.”
