BJP MP Harbhajan Singh's 'zombie drug' post on Punjab backfires

BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh came across a video showing two turbaned men apparently behaving erratically on a roadside, purportedly under the influence of a "zombie drug". Assuming the footage was from Punjab, Singh shared it on social media, expressing anguish over what he described as the deteriorating drug situation in the state.However, the video was later identified as being from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, a BJP-ruled state, triggering a sharp backlash from the Punjab government and social media users.Harbhajan Singh shared the video on X and expressed concern over the alleged spread of drug addiction among Punjab’s youth. He said the state’s young people were "besieged by addictions" and urged people to "save Punjab's youth"."The evil eye has struck, my friend, on our Punjab," Singh said in his post, alleging that successive governments had “ruined Punjab and its Punjabi youth". The post soon came under scrutiny, with users pointing out that the footage was not from Punjab. Punjab Police subsequently issued a fact-check, clarifying that the video was filmed in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan."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," Punjab Police said on X while resharing Singh’s post. 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.We urge users and social media accounts to verify the facts and location before posting https://t.co/bNHwjXVXsC— Punjab Police India (@PunjabPoliceInd) August 10, 2026Harbhajan's post drew a strong response from the Punjab government. Cabinet Minister Baljit Kaur accused the BJP MP of deliberately sharing footage from another state to portray Punjab in a negative light.“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 in a post on X. She accused Singh of acting in the BJP’s political interests and said Punjabis would not forgive him for damaging the state’s image.Another Punjab minister, Harbhajan Singh ETO, also attacked the former cricketer, accusing the BJP of using misinformation 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,” the AAP minister said.The term "zombie drug" is commonly used to describe xylazine, a veterinary sedative that has increasingly been found in illicit drug supplies. Often referred to on the street as "tranq" or "tranq dope", xylazine is frequently mixed with other drugs including cocaine.However, videos showing people behaving unusually, appearing disoriented or remaining motionless are often hastily attributed to "zombie drugs" without evidence. Authorities have repeatedly cautioned that such appearances alone do not establish that a person is under the influence of xylazine or another illicit substance.In an earlier case in Bengaluru, for instance, police found that a viral video attributed to a "zombie drug" was actually linked to a man's medical condition and the effects of alcohol consumed with medication.- EndsPublished On: Aug 11, 2026 08:23 IST