RAJAMPET, Andhra Pradesh — The accused in a horrific chainsaw attack on schoolgirls in Raptadu is stable and conscious following surgery, while one of the injured victims questioned why he is receiving medical care, officials said Monday.
Hemant, 22, sustained severe injuries to both legs and underwent an initial surgery at Ananthapur Government General Hospital on Sunday night. He is conscious and alert, responding to doctors' questions, with normal vital parameters and no immediate threat to his life, said D Malleshwari, superintendent of the hospital.
Doctors expressed concern over reduced blood circulation in Hemant's right leg and plan further examinations, including a CT angiogram and surgical assessment, to determine the extent of damage and the possibility of saving the affected limb. A scan indicated a slight reduction in blood supply to the right leg, prompting plans for a CT angiogram to identify whether the condition was caused by compression of blood vessels or a blood clot.
Two Class 10 students were attacked with an electric chainsaw inside a classroom at a government high school in Raptadu, Anantapur district, on Saturday. While one girl sustained critical injuries, another student was injured on the leg while trying to intervene and protect her classmate.
The accused, a daily wager and close relative of a student, had reportedly been stalking one of the Class 10 students after she rejected his advances. The attack occurred after Hemant took advantage of the school gate being left open due to ongoing work, entering the classroom at around 10:30 am.
One of the injured girls, recovering in the Orthopaedics Department, expressed anger over the attack and questioned why the accused was being provided medical treatment. She said she found it difficult to accept that he was receiving treatment after attacking the girls and demanded severe punishment.
The other girl, who sustained injuries while shielding her classmate, is recovering well and remains stable. She is undergoing treatment in the Orthopaedics Department and has no complications, hospital officials said.
Regarding the accused's condition, doctors stated his injuries were confined to his legs, with no injuries to the backbone, abdomen or brain. The general surgeons had cleaned and sutured the wounds extending from the thighs to the feet. An anaesthesia team was assessing whether spinal or general anaesthesia would be appropriate for the next surgery, considering the risks associated with both procedures. The accused is being administered intravenous fluids and will not be given food or water before the operation. Three units of plasma and one unit of blood were arranged for the procedure.
