Tenth-Grade Student Attacked with Chainsaw in Anantapur Classroom
A tenth-grade student was seriously injured in a classroom attack involving a chainsaw, with the perpetrator, a close relative, arrested shortly after the incident.
A tenth-grade girl at Zilla Parishad High School in Raptadu was attacked with an electric chainsaw during a mathematics lesson, resulting in serious injuries. The victim, identified as Mudaga Gopika, is currently in critical condition, while another student sustained minor injuries.
The attack occurred around 10:30 a.m. when the assailant, identified as Hemanth, a close relative of Gopika, entered the classroom and attacked her. Eyewitnesses reported chaos as students fled the room in shock. The class teacher, Rajarajeswari, described the incident as happening within two to three minutes, with the attacker escaping the scene shortly after.
Emergency services transported both injured girls to Government General Hospital in Anantapur. Following the attack, police formed special teams to locate Hemanth, who was apprehended at Dharmavaram railway station after attempting to flee. Investigators believe he may have recently acquired the chainsaw used in the attack, as its cover was found on school grounds.
Authorities have registered cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and attempted murder charges. The motive for the attack remains unclear. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his shock over the incident and assured support for the victim's family, while Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav confirmed that Gopika was later transferred to a private hospital in Bengaluru for advanced treatment.