'Kill Psycho In Encounter': Andhra School Chainsaw Attack Victim's Family To NDTV

The grandfather of a Class 10 girl targeted in a chainsaw attack at a government school in Andhra Pradesh's Anantapur district has said the family never saw it coming. Mudaga Katamaiya spoke to NDTV about the incident, which has left two schoolgirls injured.

Katamaiya said the family did not know the accused had a one-sided attachment to the girl. "We as a family never knew that this psycho person had a one-sided love for our daughter. If at all we knew about it, we would have been very careful," he said.

He said the accused had never made any threats before. "He never threatened us in the past. Never ever, he gave a hint. He all suddenly went inside the school premises and attacked our daughter," he said.

The family has also made a demand of the police. "We want the police to encounter this psycho person who attacked our daughter," he said.

According to Katamaiya, the girl is now out of danger, though she will need more surgeries. "She is now out of danger, but some surgeries will continue still," he said. He added that the family is getting financial help from the government. "The government is supporting us financially," he said.

The accused is said to be the uncle of the girl he allegedly targeted. Police sources said the attack followed the rejection of his advances. The accused reportedly used to stalk the girl and had proposed to her in the past.

Police named him as Hemanth alias Dummu, a 21-year-old reportedly from Nagalur in Dharmavaram mandal of Sri Sathya Sai district. He is still on the run, and police have formed 12 to 15 teams to find him.

On Saturday morning, he walked into a classroom at the Zilla Parishad High School in Raptadu village carrying a chainsaw and injured two girls. Lessons were underway, and a teacher was in the room when the incident happened.

Both girls were taken to the Government General Hospital in Anantapur. One was undergoing critical surgery there, and arrangements were being made to move her to a hospital in Bengaluru by air ambulance.

The class teacher present at the scene, Rajeshwari, said staff were slow to understand what the man was carrying. Work was going on at the school, so they assumed someone had come to do a job.

READ | Stalking, Rejected Proposal Behind Andhra School Chainsaw Attack: Sources

"Classes were ongoing. The first period was completed, and the classes were continuing. All the children were studying," the teacher said. "The classroom doors are generally kept open. Someone came through that door. Before we could realise what was happening, the incident with the boy took place."

"Only one boy (the accused) came. He turned on the motor from outside and then came inside. The motor... we didn't even understand what instrument it was," the teacher added.

Education Minister Nara Lokesh said 20 mental health counsellors are visiting the homes of all 32 students of Class X-A, as well as girl students of Classes 8, 9 and 10. He wrote on X, "Following the deeply disturbing incident at Rapthadu, our priority is to ensure that every affected child feels safe and supported."

"We have deployed a dedicated team of 20 mental health counsellors who are visiting the homes of all 32 students of Class X-A, as well as girl students of Classes 8, 9 and 10. They are speaking with the children and their parents, offering emotional support and helping them cope with the trauma," he added.