Class 10 Girl Seriously Injured in Electric Chainsaw Attack Inside Classroom in Anantapur; Accused Nabbed

A tenth-class girl student of the Zilla Parishad High School at Raptadu in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, was seriously injured after being attacked with an electric chainsaw inside her classroom on Saturday, according to police and media reports. Another girl sustained minor leg injuries during the incident.

According to police and eyewitness accounts, the victim, identified as Mudaga Gopika from Akkayavaripalem village, was attacked around 10.30 a.m. while a mathematics lesson was underway. The suspect, identified by police as Hemanth—a close relative of the victim and a daily wager—reportedly barged into the classroom and carried out the assault before fleeing the premises, leaving the electric chainsaw behind.

Medical Treatment and Status

Following the incident, both injured students were rushed to the Government General Hospital at Anantapur. According to A.P. Minister Nara Lokesh, medical teams initially stabilised Gopika's condition with blood transfusions and supportive treatment after bleeding was controlled. Late in the evening, the victim was shifted to a private hospital in Bengaluru via an advanced ambulance, accompanied by a medical team including an anaesthetist and a surgeon, for further treatment. Officials stated that the next 48 hours were critical.

Police Investigation and Arrest

Special police teams formed to trace the perpetrator examined CCTV footage and apprehended the suspect at Dharmavaram railway station hours after the incident. Police suspect that the accused may have purchased the saw recently and conducted a reccee of the school before the attack. The Raptadu police registered cases against the accused under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and on charges of attempted murder. The exact motive behind the attack remains to be ascertained through ongoing investigations.

Official Responses and Support Measures

• Government Officials: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan, and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh expressed deep shock over the incident. Mr. Naidu spoke with the victim's mother over the phone to assure her of full government support.
• Student Support: The Education Department deployed 20 counsellors to Raptadu ZPHS to help traumatised classmates cope with the incident and instil confidence.
• Demands for Security: Teachers' and student bodies have raised demands for stronger security in government schools following the incident, while Mahila Commission Chairperson Rayapati Sailaja assured the family of government backing.

Readers can verify official updates and announcements through statements released by the Andhra Pradesh government and local law enforcement authorities.