LUDHIANA: A fresh political controversy over the portrayal of Punjab’s drug issue emerged after the Punjab Police declared that a viral video shared by former Union Minister and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu was staged. The video, which circulated on social media platforms over the past 48 hours, depicted a Sikh youth allegedly under the influence of narcotics in the Dugri locality of Ludhiana. Police officials affirmed that the individual staged the act alongside a friend solely to gain views and social media popularity.
Following the online circulation of the clip, law enforcement personnel traced and apprehended the 30-year-old youth in the Model Town area. Assistant Commissioner of Police S.S. Cheema stated that while the individual had previously struggled with substance abuse, he had stopped consuming illegal narcotics a long time ago. ACP Cheema maintained that the youth admitted to fabricating the scenario for digital attention and had not consumed any intoxicants at the time of recording. The department is conducting full medical examinations to verify his physical state during the shoot before determining appropriate legal action.
The incident highlights growing concerns among state authorities regarding unverified digital content portraying a misleading narrative of Punjab. Sharing the video online, Bittu had cited the footage to criticize the administration’s anti-drug campaigns. Police representatives cautioned that circulating sensationalized or fabricated material harms public perception, particularly with political narrative-building intensifying ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
