Gajwel Tahsildar Swamy has been suspended after a preliminary inquiry found his alleged remarks to a farmer who approached the revenue office over a land dispute to be inappropriate, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. Siddipet District Collector K. Hymavathi issued the suspension orders after the incident drew public attention through a video circulated on social media.
The farmer, identified as Yesu, had visited the Gajwel Tahsildar’s office in Siddipet district to discuss a land-related issue. During the interaction, Swamy allegedly asked him, “Hey, are you still alive? Haven’t you consumed pesticide yet?” When the farmer questioned whether the official had made the remark intentionally, the Tahsildar allegedly replied, “Yes, I did. Of course, I did.”
The exchange prompted the farmer to express distress over the official’s conduct. A video of the interaction later went viral, bringing the remarks to wider public notice and triggering administrative action. The report does not specify when the video was first recorded, but the farmer subsequently said in another video that the incident had occurred four or five months earlier.
Following the circulation of the video, the Siddipet District Collector directed senior officials to conduct an inquiry. The Revenue Divisional Officer submitted a preliminary report, on the basis of which the suspension action was taken. The order also directed Swamy not to leave the headquarters without prior permission.
The case places the conduct of revenue officials under scrutiny because Tahsildar offices are often the first point of contact for residents dealing with land records, disputes and related administrative matters. For farmers, these offices can be critical to resolving questions involving ownership, possession and access to government services. The interaction described in the report therefore concerns not only the alleged language used by one official but also the standards expected in public-facing administration.
Yesu later stated that the land dispute had been resolved and claimed that the MRO was not at fault. However, the administrative response was based on the preliminary inquiry into the official’s behaviour. The report does not provide the full inquiry findings or indicate whether further disciplinary proceedings will follow the suspension.
The incident has also prompted discussion over whether the age of a video should determine the seriousness of conduct captured in it. Regardless of when the exchange took place, the reported remarks have raised questions about how citizens, particularly those approaching officials with land or livelihood-related grievances, are treated inside government offices.
The suspension remains the immediate action reported by the district administration. Swamy is required to remain at headquarters unless he receives prior permission to leave, while the available report does not provide details of any final disciplinary decision or additional proceedings.
