Amritsar Police's 'Fact-Check' Fiasco: A Tale of Drugs, Denials, and Damaged Trust

It's quite something, isn't it, when the very authority tasked with upholding truth and order has to, well, retract its own 'truth'? That's precisely what unfolded recently with the Amritsar Police, leaving many scratching their heads and others questioning the very fabric of public trust.

Just a few days ago, on April 22, the Amritsar Police decided to tackle a viral video head-on. This video, depicting a police officer seemingly engaged in drug use, had been making the rounds online, stirring up understandable concern. So, the police, in their wisdom, issued a 'fact-check' via their official X (formerly Twitter) handle. Their unequivocal message? The video was 'fake' and 'edited,' plain and simple. They even included a 'Fictional Video' stamp, just to drive the point home, implying it was a complete fabrication meant to mislead.

But hold on a minute. Not even 24 hours later, the narrative took an unexpected — though perhaps not entirely surprising — turn. On April 23, the Amritsar Police swiftly deleted their initial 'fact-check' tweet and replaced it with an entirely different statement. A complete about-face, if you will. The new message? Oh, the video? Yes, it's real. Very much real, actually. However, and this is the crucial 'however,' it's not a recent incident. In fact, it dates all the way back to 2021.

You see, the officer in the video was identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Harbhajan Singh. And as it turns out, he wasn't just some random person; he was indeed a serving officer at the time of the original incident in 2021. More importantly, he had already been arrested and subsequently dismissed from service because, yes, he was found in possession of drugs. So, while the video was legitimate, the police were quick to emphasize its historical context, arguing it wasn't indicative of a current problem.

This whole episode, naturally, sparked quite a conversation. One can only imagine the public's reaction: first, being told something is fake, then being told it's real but old. It certainly doesn't do wonders for public confidence, especially in a region like Punjab, which, sadly, has been grappling with a severe drug problem for far too long. Each such incident, regardless of its age, tends to rekindle anxieties and fuel skepticism about the effectiveness of anti-drug efforts and, indeed, the integrity of those enforcing them.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Ranjit Singh acknowledged the retraction and provided further clarification, confirming that the video was indeed from an old case involving ASI Harbhajan Singh. He stressed that the officer had faced appropriate action years ago. While the police aim to be transparent and correct misinformation, this particular sequence of events—a quick denial followed by an equally quick admission—has, undoubtedly, left some lingering questions in its wake about the initial vetting process for 'fact-checks' and, more broadly, about the continuous effort required to build and maintain trust with the community.