When we were in grade school, our teachers’ way of punishment for being noisy or lazy was either to face the wall or write “I’m sorry…” on both sides of a paper. Sure, it was a non-violent approach to inappropriate behavior in class but mind you, it would leave your hands and legs numb for hours—or worse, days.
In Rishikesh, India, police officers thought of adopting the same method to address disobedience among tourists. Since the country is currently placed under a nationwide lockdown, it is imperative that residents stay home and practice social distancing. But for some tourists, this is the perfect time to take advantage of the silence outside.
According to LADBible, ten foreign travelers (who hail from Israel, Mexico, Australia, and Austria) have been forced to write “I am so sorry” 500 times after violating the town’s lockdown policy.
In an interview with AFP, police officer Vinod Sharma said that he asked each tourist to write: “I did not follow the rules of lockdown so I am so sorry” 500 times. Right now, there are more than 700 foreign tourists who are staying in India and some of them had already breached lockdown rules.
This is not the first time that India has imposed an “unconventional” strategy to deal with the global pandemic. Last month, a police officer was spotted wearing a COVID-inspired helmet to remind motorists to stay home.
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