BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh has found himself at the centre of a political controversy after sharing a video that he believed showed the impact of drug abuse in Punjab, only for the footage to be traced back to Rajasthan.
Singh had posted the video on social media after seeing two turbaned men appearing disoriented and behaving unusually on a roadside. He linked the visuals to what he described as the growing drug crisis among Punjab’s youth and appealed to people to take action to protect the younger generation.
In his post, Singh expressed concern over what he described as the worsening addiction problem in Punjab and wrote that the state’s youth were “besieged by addictions”. He also urged people to “save Punjab’s youth”.
However, the claim about the video’s location soon came under scrutiny.
Punjab Police Corrects Video Location
Punjab Police later issued a clarification, stating that the footage was actually recorded in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, and had no connection with Punjab.
“The video being circulated is from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan—not Punjab—and has no connection with Punjab Police. A Punjabi audio track does not make an incident a Punjab incident,” the police said while responding to Singh’s post.
The clarification quickly turned the social media post into a political issue, with Punjab government leaders accusing the BJP MP of sharing misleading material to portray the state negatively.
Punjab Ministers Attack Harbhajan Singh
Punjab Cabinet Minister Baljit Kaur criticised Singh over the post and alleged that the BJP leader had deliberately presented footage from another state as an incident from Punjab.
“Look at the desperation to please his political bosses. He is sharing a video from Rajasthan and lying that it is from Punjab,” Kaur said.
AAP minister Harbhajan Singh ETO also attacked the former cricketer, accusing the BJP of using misleading information to target Punjab.
“This is the BJP’s standard modus operandi: manufacture lies and use sell-outs like Harbhajan to constantly defame Punjab. This video is from Rajasthan, but he lies to ruin the image of the state that gave him his entire career. Punjabis see right through this dirty propaganda,” he said.
The controversy has therefore shifted from concerns over drug abuse to a wider political clash over the authenticity and location of viral social media content.
What Is The ‘Zombie Drug’?
The phrase “zombie drug” is commonly associated with xylazine, a veterinary sedative that has increasingly been detected in illicit drug supplies. It is also known as “tranq” or “tranq dope” and can be found mixed with other substances.
However, experts and authorities have repeatedly warned against determining drug use merely from a person’s appearance in a viral video.
People appearing confused, motionless or physically unstable may be experiencing a range of medical or substance-related conditions. Without medical examination or official confirmation, such footage cannot establish that someone has consumed xylazine.
A similar case in Bengaluru had earlier attracted attention after a video was incorrectly linked to the so-called “zombie drug”. Police later found that the person’s condition was associated with a medical issue and the effects of alcohol consumed along with medication.
The latest controversy surrounding Harbhajan Singh’s post has once again highlighted the risks of drawing conclusions from viral videos before their location and circumstances are independently verified.
