Published Nov 01, 2026 | 10:20 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 01, 2026 | 10:20 PM
The girl was attacked in her classroom.
Synopsis: Police said that after attacking the girl with the chainsaw, the man fled to Dharmavaram and hid in the Atmakur forest area. Police monitored the accused Hemanth’s phone calls to his relatives and identified his location. A combing operation was launched, and when he was found, the accused attacked the police party with a knife and injured Raptadu Circle Inspector Venkatesh, prompting police to open fire. His condition is reportedly critical.
Andhra Pradesh police opened fire on Sunday, 1 November, injuring a man who had been on the run after attacking a girl with a chainsaw at her school.
Police identified the man as Hemanth of Nagaluru in Dharmavaram mandal. They said they opened fire after the accused attacked them with a knife while resisting arrest in the Atmakur forest area, where he had been hiding.
Some other reports said he had already been arrested and was fired upon while trying to escape from custody.
The man sustained gunshot wounds to his limbs and was admitted to a government hospital unconscious. His condition was reported as critical. A police circle inspector sustained a hand injury while trying to arrest him.
Hemanth allegedly attacked and grievously injured the Class X girl inside her classroom at the Raptadu Zilla Parishad High School in the Anantapur district around 10 am on Saturday, 31 October. The girl suffered serious injuries, including a severed arm and fractures to the skull and ribs. Another student who intervened was also injured.
Police said that after attacking the girl with the chainsaw, the man fled to Dharmavaram and hid in the Atmakur forest area. Police monitored Hemanth’s phone calls to his relatives and identified his location. A combing operation was launched, and when he was found, the accused attacked the police party with a knife and injured Raptadu Circle Inspector Venkatesh, prompting police to open fire.
Initial reports said the police fired eight rounds.
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Regarding Hemanth’s motive, police said he had been staying with his elder sister at Ayyavaripalli after his parents’ death. His mother was reportedly murdered by his father, who died by suicide. He had been stalking the girl, despite his relatives discouraging him, saying he was related to her as a parental uncle. When the girl also rejected him, he went to her school with the chainsaw.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports said he was shot at while trying to escape from police custody.
Earlier on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh said on X that the girl’s condition was critical and that the next 48 hours would be crucial.
He appealed to people to pray for the girl’s recovery. Calling her “our daughter”, he said she needed everyone’s support and prayers during this difficult time. He made the post on X after meeting the doctors caring for the girl at Bengaluru’s Manipal Hospital.
After the attack, the girl was treated at a government hospital in Anantapur before being shifted to Bengaluru for advanced care.
Lokesh assured that stronger preventive measures would be put in place to prevent such incidents from recurring in Andhra Pradesh.
Issuing a stern warning against harassment and indecent behaviour towards women, Lokesh said anyone making inappropriate remarks or behaving indecently towards women in Andhra Pradesh would face severe consequences. He assured that strict action would be taken against everyone responsible for the Raptadu school attack and that nobody involved would be spared.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
