Police shoot man accused of attacking schoolgirl with chainsaw
The suspect was shot six times by police on Sunday while allegedly attempting to escape custody in Andhra Pradesh.
Police shot a 21-year-old man on Sunday night while he was allegedly trying to flee from custody in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. The suspect, identified as Hemanth, also known as Dummu, was being moved to Rapthadu for a reconstruction of the crime scene when the incident occurred.
An official from the Anantapur police headquarters said Hemanth allegedly threw stones at the escorting officers and tried to escape. The police fired six rounds in self-defence, leaving the man seriously injured. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Hemanth was arrested in the Atmakur forest area on Sunday evening following a manhunt. He is accused of using a chainsaw to attack a 15-year-old Class 10 student at Zilla Parishad High School in Rapthadu on Saturday morning.
The victim, identified as Gopika, sustained severe injuries to her face, head, and shoulder. Another student, Lakshmi, was also injured while attempting to intervene during the attack. Gopika was moved to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru for surgery and is currently in the intensive care unit.
Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh visited the hospital to meet the family. Lokesh stated that the girl's condition remains critical and the next 48 hours are crucial for her recovery.