The Andhra Pradesh Police on Sunday opened fire at a man who barged into a classroom and attacked two Class X girls with a chainsaw in the state's Anantapur district. Police said the accused, identified as Hemant, was shot six times after he tried to attack police personnel attempting to apprehend him in the Atmakur forest area.
The brutal attack on the girls happened last week. According to reports, Hemant barged into their classroom at a government high school in Raptadu on Saturday with the chainsaw. He attacked one girl for rejecting his advances. She suffered critical injuries, including the loss of her right hand, while the other sustained injuries attempting to protect her classmate. The critically injured girl was initially treated at the Anantapur Government General Hospital before being shifted to a private hospital in Bengaluru through a green corridor for advanced treatment, where her condition was reported to be stable.
A search was launched for Hemant immediately, and 15 teams were formed for this purpose. Anantapur SP Jagadeesh told PTI that police had been searching for him since Saturday and received information on Sunday evening, between 6 pm and 6:30 pm, that he was hiding on the outskirts of the Atmakur forest area. Two teams were sent to the forest area, and when the personnel approached him, Hemant was allegedly in an intoxicated state and carrying a knife.
Seeing the police force, Hemant tried to flee. In his bid to evade capture, he attacked the CI with a knife and pelted stones at the officials, according to Anantapur district SP Jagadish. He added that the police fired shots in the air and warned him. However, he did not back down and continued to attack the police with the knife he had. He was warned again, but did not back down and attacked the CI with the knife, the SP added.
It was then that the police opened fire. They fired a total of six rounds. Hemanth was seriously injured in this firing and was immediately taken to the hospital.
The accused was seriously injured and is being treated at the Anantapur hospital. Anantapur district SP Jagadish said heavy police security was deployed near the hospital where Hemant is being treated as a precautionary measure.
