Andhra Pradesh: Chainsaw attack accused shifted to Kurnool hospital after health worsens

The police in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district shifted 21-year-old Hemanth alias Dummu, accused of attacking a Class 10 girl with a chainsaw at the Zilla Parishad High School in Raptadu, to the Kurnool Government General Hospital on Friday night after his health deteriorated, police said on Saturday.

A police official said doctors at the Anantapur Government Hospital conducted several tests on Hemanth after he fell from his bed on the night of November 9 and diagnosed him with pulmonary embolism, a potentially life-threatening condition involving blood clots in the blood vessels of the lungs.

On Friday, the medical team at the Anantapur hospital submitted a status report to the state high court, stating that the blood clots in his blood vessels could pose a serious threat to his life if not treated immediately. The clots could travel to vital organs, including the heart, brain and lungs, potentially resulting in fatal complications, the report said.

The medical team recommended shifting him to a higher medical facility, stating that although surgeons were available at the Anantapur hospital, it lacked the necessary infrastructure, including a heart-lung machine and other specialised facilities required to remove the clots.

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“Based on the medical report, the court permitted his transfer to the Kurnool government hospital. He was transported there in an Armed Reserve (AR) escort vehicle, accompanied by around 10 police personnel,” the police official said.

Hemanth sustained bullet injuries when police opened fire on him on November 1 after he allegedly tried to escape, hours after being caught in the Atmakur forests. He was initially admitted to the Anantapur Government Hospital for treatment.

However, complications arising from the gunshot injuries led to the amputation of his right leg around midnight on November 3, after blood circulation to the limb was disrupted. He also developed a bacterial infection that resulted in gangrene.

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Despite continued medical treatment, his condition did not improve. He subsequently developed breathing difficulties, prompting doctors to conduct a CT scan on November 10. The scan reportedly revealed multiple small blood clots in his blood vessels, including those supplying the lungs, confirming pulmonary embolism.

As he continued to experience serious respiratory complications, doctors concluded that he needed advanced treatment that was unavailable at the Anantapur hospital.

Since Hemanth was being treated as a remand prisoner at the Anantapur hospital, the transfer procedure was completed through the Reddi Palli Jail. He was first taken from the hospital to the jail, where the necessary formalities were completed under the supervision of the jail authorities.