The Telangana government has suspended Gajwel Tehsildar Chittampalli Swamy of Siddipet district after a video of him making allegedly derogatory remarks to a farmer seeking help over a land dispute went viral on social media. The suspension order was issued by Siddipet District Collector K. Haimavathi on 11 October 2026, acting on a preliminary inquiry report submitted by the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO).

What the Video Shows

The clip, which circulated widely online, shows Tehsildar Swamy asking a farmer who had approached his office with a land grievance: 'Are you still alive? Have you not consumed pesticides yet?' — an apparent reference to the distressing practice of farmers taking their own lives. When the farmer, identified as Yesu of Maktha Masanpally village in Gajwel mandal, questioned whether the remark was intentional, the official reportedly replied: 'Yes, I did. Of course, I did.'

The remark drew immediate public outrage, with farmers' groups demanding swift action against the official. The district administration responded by directing the RDO to conduct a preliminary inquiry. After the RDO found the official's conduct to be inappropriate, the Collector issued the suspension order. Swamy has been directed not to leave his headquarters without prior permission.

The Farmer's Grievance

Yesu had visited the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) office to resolve a dispute with relatives over compensation for land acquired under the Regional Ring Road (RRR) project. Village elders, including the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch, had accompanied him to the office.

According to Yesu, the underlying land dispute has since been resolved — the compensation amount was credited to his bank account. A separate video that surfaced later has Yesu stating that the incident actually occurred five to six months ago, raising questions about why the footage only recently became public.

Administrative Action Taken

The suspension follows a well-established inquiry process: a viral video triggered public demand for accountability, prompting the district administration to commission a preliminary inquiry. The RDO's adverse finding gave the Collector the basis to act swiftly. Notably, this action came after sustained pressure from farming communities in the region, underscoring the sensitivity of land-related grievances in Telangana.

This is not an isolated incident — insensitive behaviour by revenue officials toward farmers approaching government offices has been a recurring concern across Indian states, particularly in the context of agricultural distress and land acquisition disputes.

What Happens Next

A formal departmental inquiry is expected to follow the preliminary suspension. The outcome of that process will determine whether Swamy faces dismissal, demotion, or reinstatement. Farmers' groups and opposition parties in Telangana are likely to keep pressure on the administration to ensure the inquiry concludes with accountability rather than a quiet reinstatement.