Barnala Police have registered a case under Section 21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against a policeman after a video of youths confronting him in Barnala went viral, in the third such incident involving a Punjab policeman in under two weeks.

Source: NDTV via Jugti

According to the NDTV report carried by Punjab outlet Jugti, youths from Badra village spotted the policeman allegedly consuming drugs near a tractor agency on Dhanaula Road, between Kacheri Chowk and Guru Ravidas Chowk in Barnala. In the video, the youths search the policeman's pocket, pull out a small packet and question him about it. The packet is alleged to be heroin; that claim has not been confirmed by laboratory testing.

The policeman was then taken to the District Police Headquarters in Barnala, and a case was registered at City-2 Police Station under Section 21 of the NDPS Act, the reports said. The policeman has not been named in any of the reports.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajinder Pal Singh confirmed that a case has been registered and said an investigation is under way, with action to follow if the allegations are confirmed.

Source: Airnews

Section 21NDPS Act section under which the case was registered at City-2 police station, Barnala
3rdvideo case involving a Punjab policeman in under two weeks
0laboratory confirmations so far that the packet contained heroin — testing is still to establish this

Two similar videos in the past fortnight

On November 2, Khanna Police suspended Assistant Sub-Inspector Sukhdev Singh after hidden-camera footage allegedly showed him planting a packet of heroin under a mattress at the home of Shiv Sena leader Mahant Kashmir Giri, who was then discharged from the drug case against him. On October 30, an Assistant Sub-Inspector in Mansa was booked after a video showed him allegedly consuming heroin, with a medical test later confirming morphine consumption.

All three cases have surfaced while Punjab Police run the state government's 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' (War Against Drugs) campaign, and each has raised fresh questions about the credibility of the force's own ranks in that fight.

What happens next

Police say the investigation will establish what the packet contained and whether the allegations against the policeman are confirmed. Further departmental or custodial action, if any, is expected to follow the investigation's findings. Awaaz Punjab will update this story when police share verified findings.