Saturday, August 29, 2009

Thorny punishment for "hooch" sellers in Indian town

People caught selling illegal alcohol in the Indian town of Siddhapur are being given an unusual punishment.

The sale of adulterated alcohol has sickened and killed a number of people in India. So villagers decided to punish those who sell the alcohol by making them sit in a thorn tree for 24 hours, as well as paying a $20 fine.

"Putting a ban on consumption of alcohol by the village head has been very profitable for the village so far," said local resident Kamlesh Patel, "especially for the people who used to drink and sell alcohol near the schools."



The men who are sentenced to tree-sitting cover their faces, but the villagers say it's a small place so everyone knows who they are.

The illegal hooch is hung from the tree as well. It's common to sell it packaged in plastic bags.

The townspeople say the thorn tree sitting acts as a real deterrent for others.

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