- A man was shown in a disoriented state on a Bengaluru road in a video that has gone viral on social media
- People claimed that he was under the influence of a so-called "zombie drug"
- Police denied claim, saying he was diagnosed with arthritis and had taken prescribed medication with alcohol
A man shown in a disoriented state in a video that has gone viral on social media with a claim that he was under the influence of a so-called "zombie drug" had not consumed any narcotic or psychotropic substance, Bengaluru police clarified on Thursday.
The man was subjected to a medical examination, and the report confirmed that there was no trace of narcotic substances, the police said.
The police also urged the public not to spread unverified or misleading information on social media platforms, as such content can create unnecessary panic and harm the reputation of individuals.
The footage, circulating widely on social media, showed a man standing motionless. People claimed he might be under the influence of a synthetic "zombie drug" and expressed concerns about its availability in the city.
"A video circulating on Instagram showing a person allegedly under the influence of a "zombie drug" has come to the notice of the Bangalore City Police. In this connection, officers of Bagalur Police Station traced and secured the individual near Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Yelahanka. The person was immediately subjected to a detailed medical examination," police said in a release.
"The medical reports confirmed that no (traces of) known narcotic or psychotropic substances were detected. It has been ascertained that the individual is suffering from arthritis and had consumed prescribed pain medication along with alcohol, which resulted in his disoriented condition as seen in the video," it said.
Inquiry revealed that the individual had come to Bengaluru in search of livelihood and had been residing here for the past three months, it said, adding that further investigation is ongoing.
The police warned that strict action will be taken against persons found spreading false information or rumours.
"The Bangalore City Police reiterates its commitment to zero tolerance towards drug abuse and appeals to the public to inform the police about such incidents instead of circulating unverified content online," it added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
