Barnala man drinks poison at police station, bribe demand alleged in viral video

A man allegedly consumed a poisonous substance at a police station in Punjab's Barnala district after going there to collect a report linked to his car, which had caught fire on September 11. The incident, captured in a video that has since gone viral, has triggered a political row in the state, with opposition parties raising questions about alleged corruption in the government machinery.

In the video, the man, identified as Jobanpreet Singh, said he had been visiting the Dhanaula police station for about 17 days to obtain the report. He accused the station clerk, the Station House Officer and an administrative officer of harassing him, and alleged that between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 was being demanded for the document.

The clip has become the centre of a political controversy, with opposition leaders questioning accountability in the system. Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa raised the matter on social media, while Shiromani Akali Dal leaders demanded a high-level inquiry.

Police have offered a different account. Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajinder Pal Singh said Jobanpreet had consumed a poisonous substance and was immediately shifted to a hospital, where he was stated to be out of danger. According to the DSP, the investigation indicated that Jobanpreet had been under mental stress, with a family property dispute cited as the reason.

Police said a report on the car fire was entered in the daily diary on Wednesday. Their version states that Jobanpreet returned to the station the next day to collect a copy of the report and, after meeting the SHO, was asked to wait while the officer attended a video conference. It was during this period that he allegedly consumed the substance.

Dr Ishan Bansal, owner of BMC Super Speciality Hospital, said Jobanpreet had been kept in the ICU under observation for 24 hours, and that his condition would be assessed after that period.

The two conflicting versions have kept the focus on the man's allegations in the viral video and the police's claim that family property-related stress lay behind his actions. The bribe demand has not been established and remains part of the investigation. Police said further inquiry is underway and senior officers will be informed on the basis of the findings.