Rajasthan Police arrested two men on Tuesday evening in connection with a viral ‘zombie drug’ video shared by BJP Rajya Sabha member Harbhajan Singh on August 10.
Confirming the action, Sri Ganganagar superintendent of police (SP) Harishankar Yadav said that the incident was not a drug case, and both youths had consumed Pregabalin, a prescription medicine.
The video had triggered a war of words between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Harbahjan, with finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema accusing the cricketer-turned-politician of defaming Punjab and its youth by sharing the ‘clip, which was shot in Rajasthan.’
The Rajasthan Police on Wednesday identified the arrested persons as Yogesh, 26, and Jogendra, 29.
Sri Ganganagar SP said police were examining the circumstances surrounding the viral video.
“The two men had been detained, but this is not a drug case. Both youths had consumed the banned tablet Pregabalin. On the orders of the district collector, these tablets are banned in the district without a prescription. There has been no case or report regarding the consumption or availability of such drugs in Sri Ganganagar,” Yadav said, clarifying that Pregabalin does not fall under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
According to medical experts, Pregabalin is a prescription medicine used for conditions including neuropathic pain, epilepsy and fibromyalgia, among others. They added that large doses of the medicine significantly depress the central nervous system and can lead to cognitive impairment.
{{/usCountry}}According to medical experts, Pregabalin is a prescription medicine used for conditions including neuropathic pain, epilepsy and fibromyalgia, among others. They added that large doses of the medicine significantly depress the central nervous system and can lead to cognitive impairment.
{{/usCountry}}It all started after Harbhajan shared a video on X showing two men behaving like “zombies” and expressed concern over the devastating impact of drugs on Punjab’s youth.
“The evil eye has struck, my friend, on our Punjab...The governments have ruined Punjab and its Punjabi youth. It makes me want to cry seeing all this. Forgive my Punjab...Excuse Punjab. Where have they brought Punjab to? The Punjab that was once known for its rising fortunes, courage, and bravery — today, that same Punjab’s youth is besieged by addictions. There’s still time—save my Punjab. Save Punjab’s youth,” he posted.
As Harbhajan’s post went viral on social media, minister Cheema called a press conference in Chandigarh to debunk his video and launch a counter-offensive against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The ‘zombie drug video’, the minister insisted, was shot in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan and had no connection with Punjab. “Harbhajan, who was sent to the Rajya Sabha by the AAP to represent Punjab’s interests and work for the state’s youth, is now amplifying the BJP propaganda. He should not have shared misleading content that tarnishes the image of Punjab,” Cheema said, alleging a “conspiracy” to malign Punjab. The cricketer-turned-politician was among the seven AAP Rajya Sabha members who joined the BJP in April this year.
Even Punjab Police had fact-checked the video and said, “A Punjabi audio track does not make an incident a Punjab incident. We urge users and social media accounts to verify the facts and location before posting misleading content or tagging Punjab Police.”