A video showing a Sub-Inspector of Police slapping a farmer during a dispute over urea supply has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread condemnation and protests in the Narayanpet district of Telangana.
The incident occurred today at the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society (PACS) in Tileru. A large number of farmers had gathered since the morning to purchase urea. With the stock running low and demand high, tempers flared as farmers expressed their frustration over the shortage.
According to witnesses and the viral video, farmers raised their voices, demanding that officials arrange for sufficient stock of urea bags. The police were having a tough time controlling the impatient crowd, trying to ensure that things don't go out of hand.
In the midst of the chaos, a police Sub-Inspector, who was reportedly deployed to manage the crowd, was seen confronting a farmer. The video captures the officer physically assaulting the farmer, identified as Satyanarayana Reddy from Rakolu village, by slapping him.
Revanth Government Police slaps a Farmer for asking UREA .... pic.twitter.com/6o5L1EyOOJ
— Dr.Krishank (@Krishank_BRS) August 30, 2025
The incident immediately ignited further protests. Irate farmers at the scene began raising slogans against the police and the state government, accusing them of high-handedness and a failure to address the critical shortage of fertilizers.
The police have said the incident was "unintentional" or "accidental".
The video has been widely shared, with many users and farmer associations criticising the police's behaviour and the government's inability to ensure a smooth supply of agricultural inputs.
This comes at a time farmers are facing a crisis and are anxious due to the scarcity of fertilisers. That has become a source of political tension and public unrest.
Earlier this year, a police officer was suspended in Nirmal district after a video showed him manhandling an elderly farmer at a revenue meeting, while another case saw the police handcuffing farmers in Jogulamba Gadwal, which drew sharp criticism from the Telangana Farmers Commission.
