Harbhajan Singh’s latest political intervention over Punjab’s drug problem has taken an unexpected turn when Punjab Police confirmed that a viral video shared by the former cricketer was indeed recorded in Jagraon, Punjab.
The BJP leader shared on X a video originally uploaded by the party leader Ravneet Singh Bittu. The video appeared to show a young man allegedly consuming drugs under a bridge. Harbhajan Singh attacked those who questioned the authenticity or location of the video, and said even the Jagraon bridge could be claimed as being in Rajasthan by what he called “paid trolls.”
The latest clarification from the Punjab Police has given the video a different context. The footage is believed to be old, but the location is indeed Jagraon. The police also said the man seen in the video was arrested by Ludhiana Police on August 12.
The affirmation is especially significant because of the controversy over an earlier video circulated by Harbhajan Singh. In that video, two apparently intoxicated men walked on a road in a zombie-like manner. Harbhajan had distributed the video to address Punjab’s drug issue and the young people of the state were in need of better management. The video later became a political weapon against the Aam Aadmi Party government.
But fact-checkers later traced that particular footage to Rajasthan rather than Punjab. The revelation weakened the political argument built around the video and prompted criticism of Harbhajan Singh for not establishing its location before sharing it.
The latest Jagraon video is therefore viewed against that backdrop. While the Punjab Police confirm that the location is in Punjab, the fact that the footage may be old means questions about its timing and relevance to the current situation are separate from the question of where it was filmed.
The whole episode has happened as Punjab’s political parties continue to clash over the state’s longstanding drug problem. The Opposition has repeatedly attacked the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government for not doing enough for narcotics. Meanwhile, arrests, seizures and action against alleged drug networks are also evidence that the ruling party is doing something about it.
Punjab’s geographical location makes the drug issue particularly sensitive. The state shares an international border with Pakistan and authorities have looked at the alleged cross-border trafficking networks to the greatest extent. Security agencies have reported the use of drones to ferry drugs across the border, and criminal networks have also employed encrypted communications and other technologies to avoid detection.
However, the state’s drug problem goes well beyond trafficking and policing. Opioids, heroin, synthetic substances and diverted pharmaceutical drugs are all considered issues. Government responses have not only included arrests and seizures but also de-addiction, rehabilitation and awareness programs.
For Harbhajan Singh, the latest development is a contrast with his earlier controversy. The police confirmation means Jagraon footage cannot simply be dismissed as another video that is mistakenly blamed on Punjab. But its age and the circumstances of the arrest mean that the clip needs to be treated carefully, and not as a separate measure of the present situation.
ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ ਦੇ ਜਗਰਾਓਂ ਪੁਲ ਹੇਠਾਂ ਸ਼ਰੇਆਮ ਨਸ਼ੇ ਦੀ ਵੀਡੀਓ ਨੇ ਖੋਲ੍ਹੀ ਭਗਵੰਤ ਮਾਨ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਪੋਲ।
— Ravneet Singh Bittu (@RavneetBittu) August 22, 2026
* ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ ਦੇ ਜਗਰਾਓਂ ਪੁਲ ਹੇਠਾਂ ਸ਼ਰੇਆਮ ਟੀਕੇ ਲਗਾਉਂਦੇ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਵੀਡੀਓ ਨੇ ਸੁਰੱਖਿਆ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਾਂ ਦੀ ਪੋਲ ਖੋਲ੍ਹ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਹੈ।
* ਸ਼ਹਿਰ ਦੇ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਚੱਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਇਹ ਖ਼ਤਰਨਾਕ ਕਾਰੋਬਾਰ ਜ਼ਮੀਨੀ ਹਕੀਕਤ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਫ਼ ਬਿਆਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।
*… pic.twitter.com/qhBa2gtZbm
The political exchange also illustrates the dangers of using viral social-media videos as evidence in hot political debates on social media to support a point of view. A video's location, date and context can have a great effect on its meaning, particularly when it is used to make claims about governance or public policy.
With Punjab still suffering from the drug crisis, the latest issue will keep the issue at the heart of political debate. Harbhajan Singh’s latest “doosra” may have landed differently than the previous one: Now that the video is confirmed to be from Punjab, the bigger political argument of his own remains open to debate.
