A video showing a Congress party official physically assaulting a man in Telangana’s Rajanna Sircilla district has sparked controversy after it circulated widely on local messaging platforms. The incident took place on Saturday night in Rallapalli village of Thangallapalli mandal but came to public attention two days later when the footage began spreading on WhatsApp.
The altercation involved Kishan, identified as the Congress party's village president, and Balasani Srinivas Goud, a beneficiary of the Indiramma housing scheme—a welfare programme aimed at providing housing for low-income families in the Indian state of Telangana.
According to local residents, the Telangana government had approved Indiramma houses as part of a pilot initiative in Rallapeta village. Beneficiaries had begun constructing their allotted homes, including Srinivas Goud, who recently performed a customary groundbreaking ceremony.
Reports indicate that Kishan objected to the ceremony, claiming he had not been informed about it. The disagreement reportedly began earlier and was briefly addressed during a panchayat (village council) meeting, where elders urged both parties to exercise restraint.
However, the dispute escalated when the two men encountered each other again on Saturday night near the Peddammathalli temple on the outskirts of the village. Witnesses say an argument ensued, during which Kishan physically assaulted Goud by kicking him.
The entire incident was captured on a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera installed at the scene. The video footage, which surfaced on Monday, quickly spread across social media and local WhatsApp groups, intensifying scrutiny of the Congress leader’s actions.
Following the assault, Srinivas Goud filed a formal complaint with the Thangallapalli police. Authorities have acknowledged receipt of the complaint and have initiated an inquiry into the matter.
There has been no official statement from the Congress party at the state or district level as of the time of writing.
The Indiramma housing scheme is a state-run welfare programme aimed at addressing rural housing shortages in Telangana. Originally launched in the unified state of Andhra Pradesh before Telangana’s formation in 2014, the scheme continues to be implemented in various phases across the region.
Incidents involving political interference in welfare schemes have drawn criticism in the past, particularly when local leaders are seen exerting informal control over programme execution. The current episode underscores ongoing challenges related to transparency and local governance in welfare delivery.
The Congress party is one of India’s major political parties, currently serving as the opposition in Telangana after losing power to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (formerly Telangana Rashtra Samithi). Local-level disputes involving party members have, at times, drawn broader attention during election cycles and public policy debates.
Law enforcement officials in Thangallapalli have not confirmed whether formal charges have been filed against Kishan. The investigation remains ongoing.