Vietnamese atithi (guest) Neil Thomson’s brush with ‘Incredible India’ began on a humiliating note on Wednesday in UP after police made him strike the murga position.

Murga (rooster) position is a punishment in which the recipient squats and loops arms behind the knees to hold the ears.

Thomson and his Delhi-based friend Paramjeet fell foul of officials from Daurala police station in Meerut district, 70km northeast of Delhi, after tracking down a car that had hit a woman’s vehicle on national highway 58 and sped away. Unknown to them, the occupants of the runaway car were police officials from Daurala.

Chastened, Thomson and Paramjeet resumed their journey to Rishikesh, but were stopped and taken to Daurala police station. Locals said the duo was allowed to leave after being punished in public view.

Paramjeet, who did not give his surname, told locals he ran a yoga centre in Rishikesh and Thomson had reached India earlier in the morning.

Zaki Ahmad, DIG, Meerut range, on Thursday said, “I have asked the SSP to conduct an inquiry and submit a report.”