KOCHI: Kerala police, in its official Facebook page, have said they had launched a state-wide probe about the use of a new synthetic street drug Flakka aka Zombie Drug (because of its zombie-like side effects) in the state.As the stories about the use of the drug and its intake turning people into zombies spread through social media, police said it was a hoax and asked people not to panic.Messages and audio clips of the so-called 'zombie attacks' have been spreading through various social media platforms for the past few days after an incident was allegedly reported in Palakkad. The audio clip said a biker was attacked by a person who behaved like a zombie and bit his lips and ears on Palakkad-Thrissur highway. It also said that the biker was admitted in a hospital. Meanwhile, a probe by TOI found that it was a drunken brawl that resulted in the injuries. Hemambika Nagar police have already registered a case following the incident on charges of rioting in public place.The injured man, a native of Kallekulangara near Palakkad, was shocked to hear that Whatsapp messages turned him into a zombie-attack victim."The injuries on my lips were sustained in a fight that broke out at my friend's wedding party. I sought plastic surgery treatment to get my lips fixed, but now I am shocked to hear that I am the central character of a fake zombie-attack story. It is sad that people believe these blindly and spread it across social media," he said.As the news sparked panic among public, the narcotic cells of police are taking precautionary measures. "The flakka or bath salts are dangerous drugs banned in foreign countries, but there are no reports of its traces in Kerala. But as many people have expressed their fears, we have launched a probe and alerted all district cells to monitor the situation," said B Krishnakumar, assistant commissioner, narcotic cell, Ernakulam IG P Vijayan, head of Kerala Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force , also said the agency was looking into the issue.

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