Indian police have come up with unusual ways to encourage people to stay home to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Ten foreigners who breached a coronavirus lockdown in the Indian town of Rishikesh, were punished by being forced to write “I did not follow the rules of lockdown, I am so sorry”, 500 times. More than 700 tourists from the US, Australia, Mexico, and Israel, staying in the area, have thus far flouted the lockdown rules.

Hotels in the area are to be instructed to allow foreign guests to step out only if accompanied by local helpers, or face legal action.

Social media videos show people out and about during lockdown do squats and leapfrogs after having been ordered by officers to do so, as punishment.

On Sunday, police arrested nine people after an officer’s hand was chopped off in northern Punjab state. The group refused to turn back after their vehicle was stopped at a lockdown checkpoint. Their driver, instead, hit the accelerator and smashed into steel barricades. During the altercation, one of the group pulled out a sword, and sliced off a policeman’s hand. Six other officers were injured in the attack.

India’s nationwide lockdown was imposed at the end of March and was to end on Tuesday. However, it’s widely expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will extend it for another two weeks.

Umm Muhammad Umar