As India plans to extend its 21-day-long lockdown for two more weeks, police are using different ways to keep people in their homes or hotels in case of tourists.
Highlights:
- India has been under lockdown for three weeks.
- Police are taking strict action against those flouting the rules.
- India has over 10,000 cases of coronavirus.
Policemen in the northern Indian town of Rishikesh have been filmed making a group of international tourists write ‘I am sorry’ as punishment after breaching coronavirus lockdown rules.
Local journalist Suresh Upadhyay told SBS Hindi, “Ten foreign nationals caught taking a stroll along the banks of Ganges. They were made to write ‘I am sorry’ 500 times.”
"Although over 20,000 tourists have left India for their home countries in recent days, many are still in India. Some do not want to go, as they are finding India safer. They are staying at hotels or using arrangements provided by the governments. Since Rishikesh is a popular tourist spot, several foreigners are waiting there for the situation to go back to normal," Mr Upadhyay said.
The tourists were reportedly from Israel, Mexico, Australia and Austria but police have not disclosed their nationalities.
The incident was captured on video by some local journalists and posted on social media.
A police officer can be seen asking the tourists sitting on the bank of Ganges river to write ‘I am sorry’ 500 times.
“Do you know what is going on in the world?" a police officer is heard addressing a tourist.
"Corona is going on, man. You are living in India. You should have followed the rules and regulations of India.
“You are not supposed to come here. This is a restricted area. Today I am giving you a light punishment.
"I can take you to the police station. Write down 500 times – I do not follow lockdown rules, so I am sorry.”
Rishikesh, one of Indias holiest cities and the so-called yoga capital of the world, March 2014. Source: AAP
It's common practice in Indian schools to make students write things when they make mistakes.
Vandana Sharma, a high school teacher in India, says this helps students remember things.
‘Yes, we do it sometimes when students make mistakes. We do it with smaller kids to make them memorise things. But, I have never done this with an adult,’ says Ms Sharma.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, India has been under lockdown for last three weeks.
Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon travelled to Rishikesh in 1968 to study transcendental meditation. Source: AAP
The country has seen a rise in the new cases in the past few days. Over 10,000 positive cases have been registered in India.
Three hundred thirty-nine people have died, and 980 patients have recovered from the coronavirus.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others and gatherings are limited to two people unless you are with your family or household.
If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor, don’t visit, or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.
