No 'zombie drug': Bengaluru police debunk viral video
What's the story
The Bagalur police in Bengaluru have arrested a 29-year-old man for spreading misinformation about a "zombie drug" through a viral video. The accused, Hemanth Kumar, is a field executive at an eyewear brand and resides in Vidyaranyapura. He recorded the video on April 7 while traveling along Bagalur Main Road, where he saw the man struggling to walk near Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology.
Viral impact
Kumar's video reached 75,000 people
Kumar uploaded the 32-second video to his Instagram account, which soon went viral, reaching nearly 75,000 people by the time police apprehended him. The video was widely shared, even by celebrities. During interrogation, Kumar confessed that he had seen videos of alleged "zombie drug" users on YouTube and mistook the man in his video for a user of such substances. He apologized to the public for causing panic.
Twitter Post
Video that went viral
A viral video that triggered widespread panic over alleged “zombie drug” use in Bengaluru city has been confirmed as a hoax following a detailed police investigation, City Police Commissioner, Seemant Kumar Singh said.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) April 10, 2026
The video, which surfaced on social media, showed a man… pic.twitter.com/Vgc2tlLgHi
Medical findings
Man in video subjected to medical examination
The man in the video, a Punjab native working as a truck driver in Bengaluru, was subjected to a medical examination by Bagalur police. Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh confirmed no narcotic or psychotropic substances were found. The man was suffering from arthritis and sinusitis and had consumed prescribed medication along with alcohol, causing his disoriented behavior.
Legal proceedings
Bagalur police register case under relevant sections
Bagalur police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for public mischief and provisions of the IT Act. Home Minister G Parameshwara admitted that cases involving the mixing of MDMA with Xylazine had been reported in several states but he video in Bengaluru is not connected to these substances. He said, "I'm told that he had consumed other drugs when he was in Punjab. However, in this instance, he had consumed alcohol along with medicines."