Police in the Indian state of Gujarat, home of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have devised a novel way to spread awareness about COVID-19. In rural Mandvi, they decided to deploy dogs and horses, mounted with messages written in the local dialect.
Pictures of the “awareness parade”, where officers marching, with masks and keeping a safe distance have made it to social media. The snaps also showed residents peeking out from their windows to see dogs and horses carrying COVID-19 awareness messages.
The small town of Mandvi is on the outskirts of Surat, known for its textile industry. Reacting to media queries, the unnamed Deputy (rural) Superintendent of Police said on Wednesday, “When animals fall ill we cull them. They're telling us they can't kill us but we can stay protected by staying at home".
While the message is harsh and important, it is not the first time Indian cops have used animals to get the attention of home-bound citizens to essential messages.
Recently, a cop in Andhra Pradesh was pictured riding a white horse with images of the coronavirus painted on its body.
The total number of COVID-19 positive cases has reached 11,439 in India. This includes 1,305 recoveries and 377 deaths, according to data released by the federal Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.