Man arrested for brutal axe attack on teen girl in Madhya Pradesh

A 17-year-old girl was critically injured after a man allegedly attacked her with an axe and attempted to hang her in Madhya Pradesh's Shivpuri district. The accused has been arrested, police said.

According to officials, the incident took place on Friday when the accused allegedly entered the girl's house while she was alone. Police said he repeatedly assaulted her with an axe, causing severe injuries to her face and head, before attempting to strangle her using a rope.

Hearing the girl's screams, neighbours rushed to the scene and intervened. The teenager was rescued and immediately taken to a hospital, where she is undergoing treatment for multiple serious injuries. Doctors said she sustained deep wounds and required extensive medical care.

Villagers reportedly overpowered the accused before handing him over to the police. A case has been registered under charges including attempted murder and other relevant provisions of law. Authorities said further investigation is underway.

Family members of the victim alleged that the accused had been harassing the girl for some time and claimed previous complaints had been made regarding his behaviour. Police are examining these allegations as part of the investigation.

The incident triggered protests in the area, with local residents and relatives of the victim demanding strict action against the accused. Demonstrators blocked a major road for several hours before dispersing after senior police officials assured them that stringent legal action would be taken.

Authorities have said the case is being treated with utmost seriousness and that all aspects of the incident are under investigation.