Andhra School Chainsaw Attack Injures Two Girls; Accused Hurt in Police Firing

Two schoolgirls were injured when a man entered their classroom with a chainsaw in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, on October 31. Police told Times now that the attacker barged into the classroom and attacked them.

The attack took place around 10:30 am at Zilla Parishad High School in Raptadu village, while lessons were underway and students were seated, according to NDTV Top Stories.

On October 31, Times of India identified the critically injured Class 10 student as Gopika. Its headline linked the attack to her rejection of a man's proposal, but the supplied coverage gives no further detail establishing that account.

Later that day, India News reported that the accused, a 21-year-old man, had been arrested and that the critically injured girl had been transferred to Bengaluru for further treatment.

A separate October 31 report from News said the accused was a close relative of the victim and had been arrested at Dharmavaram railway station within hours of the attack.

On November 1, Times of India Top Stories identified the accused as Hemanth and reported that he had been arrested on attempted murder charges. It said he was subsequently shot while attempting to flee.

The Hindu placed the police firing in Atmakur forest. According to police sources cited by NDTV India, officers fired six rounds after receiving information that Hemanth, also known as Dummu, was hiding in a forest area. That report's headline said police alleged he tried to escape carrying a knife.

Gopika's last reported condition was critical, and she had been moved to Bengaluru for treatment, according to India News. The supplied coverage does not give an updated medical assessment or details of the second girl's injuries.

The Indian Express reported on November 1 that police said the accused was injured in firing. The accounts provided do not fully explain the sequence between the reported railway station arrest and the later forest incident.

The immediate unanswered questions are the girls' medical conditions and the accused's condition after the firing. A fuller police account would also need to clarify how the reported arrest at Dharmavaram railway station connects to the subsequent events in Atmakur forest.