THANE: A man seen in a viral video in a disoriented state on a road in Thane was not under the influence of a so-called “zombie drug,” police stated on Tuesday, but had overdosed on Pregabalin, a medicine used to treat nerve pain. The video, which surfaced on April 15, showed the man standing in a dizzy condition in the Bhayander area of Maharashtra’s Thane city, according to news agency PTI. Taking cognisance of the clip, the crime detection branch was asked to trace the individual and verify claims circulating on social media that he was under the influence of the alleged “zombie drug”, the Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar police said in a release.“During the investigation, it was found that the video was recorded at around 10 pm on April 13 and the person seen in the footage was identified as Sameer Rajendra Rawal (22), a labourer hailing from Achham district in Nepal and currently living on a footpath outside Borivali Railway Station in Mumbai,” the police said. The man was traced to a road in Bhayander on April 17. During questioning, he disclosed that he had arrived from Nepal last month in search of work and had been addicted to consuming Pregabalin tablets for the past two years, the release said.“He informed that he used to purchase a strip of 10 tablets for Rs 100 and consume them for intoxication,” it said. After reaching Bhayander, he bought the tablets from a medical shop in Navghar without a prescription. On April 13, he consumed five Pregabalin tablets at once. While walking in the area, he began to feel dizzy and was unable to move, leaving him standing in one place, police said.“It has been established that the incident occurred due to excessive consumption of Pregabalin, which is a Schedule-H drug used for nerve pain. No substance such as a ‘zombie drug’ was involved,” they said. A team, along with officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), inspected the medical shop from where the tablets were purchased. It was found that the shopkeeper had fled the area after the video went viral. A report has been submitted to the FDA, Thane, for necessary action against the medical shopkeeper for illegally supplying Schedule-H drugs without a valid prescription, police added.

THANE: AIMIM corporator Sahar Shaikh’s father, Yunus Shaikh, against whom the Thane tehsildar has sought a criminal case over a “fake” caste certificate, on Monday claimed their documents are genuine.The Thane tehsildar’s office had recently recommended filing a criminal case against Yunus Shaikh, father of Mumbra corporator Sahar Shaikh, for allegedly using a forged caste certificate and securing an OBC certificate for his daughter on that basis.The recommendation followed an inquiry conducted by tehsildar Umesh Patil into a complaint filed by Siddiqui Farha Shabab Ahmed, the NCP candidate who lost to Sahar Shaikh in the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) elections. Ahmed had challenged the validity of Sahar’s caste certificate after the civic polls held in January in Mumbra, Thane.Addressing a press conference, the father-daughter duo alleged that the report submitted by the tehsildar to senior authorities was “one-sided” and demanded action against him.“I am being accused that I made fake documents and contested elections. People have put allegations on me. As a human, I am shocked by the lies that are being spread. We held a press conference today, which was important. I will see those who put allegations on me in the court. Everyone will be answered legally, ” Sahar Shaikh told ANI.Sahar Shaikh pointed to the impact of “adverse publicity and trolling” on social media, warning that such campaigns could lead to untoward incidents and must be curbed.She also told the media that she was more comfortable speaking in Hindi, adding that switching to Marathi could lead to errors that might trigger controversy.“We are Indian Muslims and will remain so and love our country,” she added. The duo alleged they were being targeted by vested interests with the intent to defame them, adding that legal notices have been issued to the complainant, certain political groups, and sections of the media over the alleged defamatory claims.(With agency inputs)

KALYAN: In a bid to tackle the growing traffic congestion in the Kalyan-Dombivli region, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said that several major infrastructure projects—including Metro corridors, ring roads and double-decker road systems—are being executed and are expected to significantly ease commuting in the coming years.Speaking at an MCHI property exhibition in Kalyan, Shinde said the government is focusing on long-term solutions to address traffic challenges in Kalyan-Dombivli. He also urged developers to work in coordination with the government while ensuring that housing remains affordable for the common man.“Ambitious projects such as Metro connectivity, ring roads, double-decker roads and new link corridors are underway. These will help resolve traffic issues to a large extent in the future,” Shinde said.He added that work on Metro Line-5 between Thane and Bhiwandi is nearing completion, and tenders for the extension up to Kalyan will be floated soon. “The Metro will play a crucial role in reducing pressure on roads and improving connectivity,” he said.Highlighting another key project, Shinde said efforts are on to decongest the busy Kalyan-Shilphata Road. “A double-decker transport corridor is being developed from Ranjnoli to Mhape, which will have a road at the base, a flyover above it and a Metro line on top. Accordingly, longer pillars are being constructed to support the structure,” he explained.The deputy CM also spoke about the ongoing ring road project aimed at easing traffic on internal roads within Kalyan-Dombivli. He directed authorities to expedite land acquisition and ensure that stalled work is resumed at the earliest. “Once completed, the project will help eliminate traffic bottlenecks across key routes,” he said.On civic infrastructure, Shinde said the government is working on long-term water supply solutions, including the Kalu dam project, to meet the demands of the region’s growing population.With rapid urbanisation putting immense pressure on existing infrastructure, residents have long grappled with traffic congestion. Officials believe that the ongoing and proposed projects will bring substantial relief in the near future.

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