Andhra Chainsaw Attack Accused Shot By Police During Escape Attempt in Anantapur

A 21-year-old man accused of attacking a Class 10 student with a chainsaw inside a government school classroom in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district was shot and critically injured by police on Sunday night while allegedly attempting to escape custody, officials said. The suspect, identified as Hemanth alias Dummu, sustained gunshot wounds after special police teams tracked him to the Atmakur forest area and officers fired six rounds in self-defence.

Encounter in the Atmakur Forest Area

Special police teams had launched an intensive search operation after receiving intelligence that Hemanth was hiding in the Atmakur forest area following the Saturday morning attack at Zilla Parishad High School in Raptadu. Officers closed in on the suspect on Sunday evening to make an arrest. When officers attempted to take him into custody, Hemanth allegedly pelted stones at the personnel, tried to flee while carrying a knife, and attacked officers, injuring several members of the team. In response, police fired six rounds, critically injuring the accused. He was subsequently transported under heavy security to the Anantapur Government General Hospital for emergency medical treatment.

Hemanth Attacks Students with a Chainsaw in Classroom

The encounter follows a brutal assault that occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, when Hemanth entered a classroom at Rapthadu Zilla Parishad High School while lessons were underway. A teacher named Rajeshwari recalled that staff initially mistook the noise of the running chainsaw for construction work happening on school grounds. The attacker moved directly into the middle of the students before anyone could react, targeting two girls. The primary victim, identified as M Gopika or Geethika, sustained severe injuries, including the complete severing of her right hand, deep lacerations across her face, scalp, neck, and back, alongside fractures to her skull, ribs, and C3 vertebrae. A second girl who attempted to intervene was also injured during the incident.

Victim Undergoes Extensive Surgeries in Bengaluru Hospital

Following emergency stabilization at the Anantapur Government General Hospital, where doctors worked for roughly eight hours, the primary victim was transferred in the middle of the night to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru. Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav noted that the student suffered multiple grievous injuries requiring extensive surgeries, including a 12-hour procedure in Bengaluru. Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh assured full government support and stated that the next 48 hours would remain critical for her recovery. Lokesh warned that individuals engaging in harassment or indecent behavior toward women would face strict legal consequences.

Psychological Support and Student Counseling

In the aftermath of the violence, the Andhra Pradesh Education Department deployed a special team of nearly 20 mental health counselors to visit the homes of 32 students from the Class 10 ‘A’ section where the attack took place. Counselors are personally meeting with students and their parents to alleviate trauma and fear, with plans to extend outreach to female students across classes 8, 9, and 10. Senior police officials and tactical units remain deployed across Anantapur to monitor the situation as investigations continue.