Thane viral video: Man not on ‘zombie drug’, overdose of Pregabalin caused conditions
Updated: Apr 21st, 2026
The Maharashtra Police on Tuesday reportedly clarified that a man seen in a disoriented state in a viral video from Thane district was not under the influence of any so-called ‘zombie drug’, but had consumed an excessive dose of Pregabalin, a prescription medicine used to treat nerve pain.
A viral video had surfaced on April 15, which showed a man standing in a dazed condition on a road in the Bhayander area, sparking speculation on social media about alleged drug abuse.
Acting on the clip, the Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar police reportedly directed the crime detection branch to trace the individual and verify the claims. During the investigation, the man was identified as Sameer Rajendra Rawal (22), a labourer from Nepal’s Achham district, currently residing near Borivali Railway Station in Mumbai.
As per reports, police said the video was recorded around 10 pm on April 13. Rawal was traced in Bhayander on April 17. He disclosed during questioning that he had been consuming Pregabalin tablets for the past two years.
He would purchase a strip of 10 tablets for ₹100 and consume them for intoxication. After arriving in Bhayander, he allegedly obtained the medicine from a local medical shop in Navghar without a prescription.
On April 13, Rawal reportedly consumed five tablets at once, after which he felt dizzy while walking and was unable to move, resulting in the condition seen in the video, police said.
The officials confirmed that the incident occurred due to excessive consumption of Pregabalin, a Schedule-H drug and no ‘zombie drug’ or similar substance was involved.
A joint team of police and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected the medical shop from where the tablets were procured. The shopkeeper was found to have left the area after the video went viral.
Police said a report has been submitted to the FDA, Thane, for further action against the shopkeeper for allegedly selling prescription drugs without a valid prescription.
