A father forced his teenaged son to run behind his minivan through the streets of Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province last Saturday to "punish" him for spending too much time on the Internet, reports Yanzhao Metro News.

At about 8:40 pm, a man in his 40s was seen driving a minivan slowly along Yuhua Road, while a 14- or 15-year-old boy ran breathlessly behind, his hands tied up by a rope fastened to the back of the vehicle.

Passers-by stopped the van and called police.

The man told officers he was the boy's father and was only trying to discipline him for spending all his time surfing the Net.

The boy sneaked out of their home that afternoon and stayed at an Internet cafe until his father eventually tracked him down. The father said he became angry when the boy refused to admit his wrongdoings and decided to teach him a lesson.

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