Video: Barefoot boy on Indian street scolds maskless tourists

In a viral new video, a little boy can be seen on a street in Himachal Pradesh scolding those not wearing a mask as India struggles to grapple with a deadly second wave of Covid-19.

Allegedly filmed in the tourist town of Dharmshala in the hilly Indian state, the masked-up barefoot boy can be seen waving a yellow plastic baton and asking passers-by, mainly tourists, in Hindi, "Where is your mask?"

Most people in the video seemed to be indifferent to or even endeared by the little Covid warrior, with one woman even jokingly asking him if he was a policeman. However, one man, seemingly annoyed by the boy, attempts to grab his baton out of his hand.

Netizens were both charmed by the little boy, as well as shocked by the maskless masses around him.

The video has garnered over 288,000 views and over 22,000 likes on Twitter alone and has quickly gone viral on other platforms as well.

The Himachal Pradesh government had eased Covid-19 restrictions last month. Mohinder Seth, president of Tourism Industry Stakeholder Association, told PTI, "The occupancy in the hotels remains between 60 and 90 per cent during weekends, while on other days it remains around 40-45 per cent."

• India