A tehsildar posted in Telangana’s Siddipet district was suspended on Sunday after a video showing him making insensitive remarks to a farmer sparked widespread criticism on social media. PH Swamy, serving in Gajwel, was suspended on the orders of Siddipet District Collector K. Haimavathi following a preliminary inquiry conducted by the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO). Officials also directed the suspended officer not to leave his headquarters without prior permission while further proceedings continue.
The controversy began after a video surfaced in which farmer Yesu, a resident of Maktha Masanpally village, approached the tehsildar regarding issues related to compensation for land affected by the Regional Ring Road (RRR) project. During the interaction, the officer allegedly asked the farmer whether he had consumed pesticide and whether he was still alive. When the distressed farmer questioned whether his suffering was amusing, the officer reportedly responded that it was. The video quickly went viral, triggering public outrage and criticism from political leaders.
Reacting to the incident, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao described the officer’s behavior as “shameful and absolutely unacceptable” and urged the Telangana Chief Secretary to take strict action. Meanwhile, the suspended tehsildar stated that the compensation issue was linked to an unresolved family dispute over the land, which prevented authorities from releasing payment. He claimed that the matter had been explained to the farmer on several occasions and maintained that the acquisition process could move forward only after the legal dispute was settled.
