All unmarried females in one village in India have been banned from owning cell phones, and those found in violation of the new policy will be fined the equivalent of $30.
Those who tattle on violators, meanwhile, will earn about $3, United Press International reported.
"Why do girls need cell phones? Internet is a waste of time and money for a middle-class community like us," said village leader Devshi Vankar to the Hindustan Times. "Girls should better utilize their time for study and other works."
Suraj villagers agreed, saying unmarried females often used the phones as means of leaving home and eloping, UPI reported.
"Everyone knows what happens in today's world due to mobile phones," Vankar said. "This is an era of Whatsapp, where people secretly talk with each other. We have to save girls from those who acquire their number and harass them or try to lure these innocent girls."
Females attending college were exempted from the new policy.
"College girls are mature enough to differentiate between good and bad," Vankar said, UPI reported. "Further, they also need mobile phones to stay connected with their parents as colleges are located in nearby cities, not in our village."
Girls living at home with their parents could still use phones inside their residences, with supervision, Vankar said.