'Not Punjab': Police clarifies viral video after Harbhajan's 'evil eye struck the state' video post

Former cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh shared a viral video showing two turbaned youths standing in the middle of a road in broad daylight and appearing disoriented. He expressed distress over what he believed was the situation in Punjab. Punjab Police later clarified that the footage was actually from Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan and had no connection with Punjab Police.

Harbhajan Singh reacted to the viral footage in a post written in Punjabi, saying the "evil eye" had struck Punjab.

He expressed sadness over the situation and criticised governments over what he described as the condition of Punjab and its Punjabi youth. His post drew attention on social media as the video circulated alongside claims linking it to Punjab.

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Punjab Police issues clarification

Following the circulation of the video, Punjab Police said the footage was from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, and was not connected to Punjab Police. The department specifically warned that a Punjabi audio track does not mean that an incident shown in a video took place in Punjab.

Police urged social media users and accounts to verify the location and facts before sharing such content or tagging Punjab Police.

Why Punjab Police responded

The police clarification addressed the location being attributed to the viral footage.

While Harbhajan Singh's post referred to the situation in Punjab, Punjab Police said the particular video being circulated was from Rajasthan.

The department's response was therefore focused on preventing the footage from being wrongly presented as a Punjab incident.

Punjab Police urged users to check the facts and location of viral content before sharing it.

The department said responsible sharing was important, particularly when videos can be circulated with different captions, audio or claims about where they were recorded.

Harbhajan Singh posted about the viral footage first. Punjab Police subsequently clarified that the video was from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, and had no connection with Punjab Police.