Andhra chainsaw attack: Girl stable after bleeding controlled, undergoes surgery in Bengaluru

The Class 10 girl who was critically injured in a chainsaw attack inside a government school in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district is now stable after doctors managed to control her bleeding, State Education Minister Nara Lokesh said on Sunday.

The 15-year-old was shifted to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru for advanced treatment after the attack at Zilla Parishad High School in Raptadu on Saturday. She suffered multiple injuries, including the severing of her right hand, deep wounds to her face and neck, and fractures to her skull and ribs.

In a post on X, Lokesh said he had been in constant touch with the medical team at the Bengaluru hospital. The girl is undergoing orthopaedic surgery, which will be followed by plastic surgery to treat her facial and other injuries.

The attack took place during school hours when a 21-year-old man allegedly entered the classroom carrying a mechanised chainsaw and attacked the student. Another girl was injured while trying to intervene and protect her classmate. She suffered cuts to her ankle and a fracture and is receiving treatment.

Lokesh said the government had deployed 20 mental health counsellors to visit the homes of all 32 students in the affected Class 10 section, as well as girl students from Classes 8, 9 and 10, to provide emotional support.

Preliminary police information has pointed to alleged stalking and rejection of advances as a possible motive. The circumstances surrounding the attack are under investigation.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has condemned the incident and assured the victim’s family of government support.