Barnala Cop Booked After Viral Video Shows Heroin in Pocketਬਰਨਾਲਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਮੁਲਾਜ਼ਮ ਖ਼ਿਲਾਫ਼ ਹੈਰੋਇਨ ਕੇਸ ਦਰਜ

Barnala Police have registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against a policeman after a viral video allegedly showed a packet of heroin in his pocket. The case is the latest embarrassment for Punjab Police's anti-drug drive, coming within days of two similar videos involving policemen in other districts.

What the video shows

According to NDTV, youths from Badra village spotted the policeman allegedly consuming drugs near a tractor agency on Dhanaula Road, between Kacheri Chowk and Guru Ravidas Chowk in Barnala. The video shows the youths searching the policeman's pocket, pulling out a small packet and questioning him about it. The policeman was then taken to the District Police Headquarters in Barnala, and a case was registered at City-2 Police Station under Section 21 of the NDPS Act.

What police say

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajinder Pal Singh confirmed that a case has been registered and said an investigation is under way, with action to follow if the allegations are confirmed. The reports have not named the policeman, and the substance in the packet has not yet been confirmed by laboratory testing, so the allegation remains that the video shows what appears to be heroin. NDTV reported the incident on November 12.

A pattern Punjab Police cannot ignore

The Barnala video follows two similar cases in the past fortnight. On November 2, Khanna Police suspended Assistant Sub-Inspector Sukhdev Singh after hidden-camera footage allegedly showed him planting a packet of heroin under a mattress at the home of Shiv Sena leader Mahant Kashmir Giri, who was then discharged from the drug case. On October 30, an Assistant Sub-Inspector in Mansa was booked after a video showed him consuming heroin, with a medical test later confirming morphine consumption. All three cases have surfaced while Punjab Police run their 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign against drugs, and each one raises fresh questions about the credibility of the force's own ranks in that fight.

What has the policeman been booked for?

A case under Section 21 of the NDPS Act has been registered at City-2 Police Station in Barnala, and an investigation is under way.

Has the substance been confirmed as heroin?

Not yet. The video allegedly shows a small packet in the policeman's pocket, and the investigation will establish what the substance was.

Is the policeman named?

No. Reports of the incident have not named the policeman involved.

Why does this matter?

It is the third video in under two weeks showing a Punjab policeman linked to drugs, and it comes in the middle of the state's flagship anti-drug campaign.