Andhra Pradesh: ​Schoolgirl injured in chainsaw attack; classmate hurt trying to save her

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In a shocking incident, a tenth-grade student was attacked by a man with a power chainsaw inside a school classroom in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district. The victim suffered critical injuries to her head, neck and back while her classmate who tried to intervene was also injured in the process.

The incident took place inside a Zilla Board High School in the district’s Raptadu mandal. According to reports, the accused was a distant relative who had been harassing the victim. However, neither the motive nor the identity of the accused have been established yet.

Speaking to local media, the teacher who was in the class at the time of the attack said that she was shocked. "He walked into the class and at that point I didn't know what to make of it. Then he went straight to the students and before we knew it, he attacked her. I just froze and stood against the wall. Children started running about," she said amid tears adding that he was the sole attacker.

Following the attack, the accused fled. Both the key victim and her classmate have been shifted to a nearby hospital for emergency care.

Visuals of terrified children crying at the school are going viral on social media.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed anguish over the attack and contacted district and medical officials to ensure emergency treatment. He directed the police to track down the perpetrator quickly and pursue stringent legal action for maximum punishment.