A 21-year-old man attacked two Class 10 girls with a chainsaw at a school in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday morning. Police said the accused, Hemanth, targeted the victim after she rejected his advances. He is currently on the run, while one injured girl remains in critical condition at a hospital.
The man accused of attacking two Class 10 girls with a chainsaw at a government school in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district is said to be the uncle of the girl he allegedly targeted. Police sources said rejection of advances was behind the attack.
He is still on the run, and police have formed 12 to 15 teams to find him. The accused used to stalk the victim and had proposed to her in past.
On Saturday morning, a 21-year-old man allegedly walked into a classroom at the Zilla Parishad High School in Raptadu village carrying a chainsaw. According to preliminary information, the attack took place at about 10.30 am. Lessons were underway, and a teacher was in the room.
Both girls were injured, and one of them is in a critical condition. They were taken straight to the Government General Hospital in Anantapur. One of them is undergoing critical surgery there, and arrangements are being made to move her to a hospital in Bengaluru by air ambulance.
Preliminary police information names the accused as Hemanth alias Dummu. He is reportedly from Nagalur in Dharmavaram mandal of Sri Sathya Sai district.
The investigation into the sequence of events and the circumstances behind the attack is continuing.
A Teacher Describes The Panic
The class teacher who was present at the scene, Rajeshwari, said staff were slow to understand what the man was carrying. Work was going on at the school, so they assumed someone had come to do a job.
“Classes were ongoing. The first period was completed, and the classes were continuing. All the children were studying,” the teacher said. “The classroom doors are generally kept open. Someone came through that door. Before we could realise what was happening, the incident with the boy took place.”
“Only one boy (the accused) came. He turned on the motor from outside and then came inside. The motor... we didn't even understand what instrument it was,” the teacher added.
The teacher said staff first thought the sound was linked to the work on the premises.
“Since work was going on in the school, we thought perhaps some workers had come to do some work. He suddenly went among the children. He went right into the middle. Before the children could realise what was happening, or what had happened, and before they could get up and go outside... that is what we remember. He entered while they were still inside,” the teacher said.
“Sounds started coming from outside. He came towards the girls. Before we could figure out what was happening, it had already happened,” the teacher added.
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One of the girls was sitting in the front row when the attack took place, according to the teacher's account. There was little chance to step in before the assault unfolded, the teacher said.
Children ran in different directions as panic spread, which made it hard to know what had happened straight afterwards. Several of the older children and teachers, themselves in shock, were seen consoling each other.
“The children, poor things, were running here and there. Exactly how many people he attacked, I am unable to say. I am in a state of shock. What actually happened hasn't even properly registered in my mind yet,” the teacher said. The teacher confirmed that another girl had also been injured.
“There were two teaching staff members. All the others are on election duty. Only four of us ladies are here, and after that, we have a few non-teaching staff, some vocational staff, and the headmistress is also there,” the teacher said.
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Counsellors Visit Students At Home
Education Minister Nara Lokesh said 20 mental health counsellors are visiting the homes of all 32 students of Class X-A, as well as girl students of Classes 8, 9 and 10. He wrote on X, “Following the deeply disturbing incident at Rapthadu, our priority is to ensure that every affected child feels safe and supported."
"We have deployed a dedicated team of 20 mental health counsellors who are visiting the homes of all 32 students of Class X-A, as well as girl students of Classes 8, 9 and 10. They are speaking with the children and their parents, offering emotional support and helping them cope with the trauma," he added.