'Zombie Drug' Scare in Punjab: Viral Video Shows Girl Zoned Out; Sukhbir Badal Targets AAP Govt

A viral video showing a young girl in a dazed, almost frozen state has once again stoked fears of a so-called 'zombie drug' sweeping Punjab's youth. The clip, said to be from Jaito in Faridkot district, shows the girl barely responsive — a sight that has set social media abuzz with claims about a dangerous new intoxicant. The pharmacological facts, however, remain unverified.

What the video shows — and what it doesn't prove

In the video, the girl appears zoned out and unsteady, which viewers have described as 'zombie'-like behaviour. Online posts claim she was under the influence of a potent drug. But no medical or forensic report has been made public to confirm what substance, if any, was involved — and the girl's condition as shown in a clip cannot, by itself, establish the cause. The footage should therefore be read as an unverified claim circulating online, not as proof of a new drug.

Police: girl admitted to a de-addiction centre

Police have confirmed that the girl seen in the video has been admitted to a de-addiction centre, signalling that the authorities treat this as a case of substance abuse requiring treatment rather than merely a law-and-order matter. Her admission to a rehabilitation facility is the one hard fact confirmed by officials so far.

Badal turns the heat on the AAP government

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal seized on the episode to attack the AAP government over the drug menace, The Tribune reported. The SAD chief has consistently accused the Bhagwant Mann government of presiding over a worsening drug crisis in the state — a charge the ruling party rejects. With assembly elections due in early 2027, drugs are set to remain one of the sharpest political fault lines in Punjab.

A familiar, frightening pattern

Punjab has been here before: viral clips of visibly intoxicated young people have repeatedly triggered 'zombie drug' panics, including a high-profile controversy earlier this year when police debunked footage shared by public figures as unrelated to Punjab. The lesson is worth repeating — a shocking video can raise urgent questions, but only verified facts can answer them.