India's 1.3 billion people were under lockdown on Wednesday to prevent an explosion of coronavirus cases as the government struggled to deliver essential goods and calm nerves.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered everyone indoors for the next three weeks, saying it was the only way to avoid a disaster and effectively shutting down Asia's third-largest economy.

Baton-wielding police in India were filmed beating people breaking the coronavirus lockdown rules and making some offenders do physical punishments.