Chainsaw attack victim loses hand, has severe head injuries; next 48 hrs critical

Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh on Sunday visited Bengaluru's Manipal Hospital to review the treatment of the Class 10 student critically injured in a chainsaw attack at her school in Anantapur district.Speaking to doctors, Lokesh said the next 48 hours would be crucial for the girl's recovery and appealed to people across Andhra Pradesh to pray for her. "She's our daughter," he said, urging people to extend their support to the family during this difficult time.The student was attacked by a man who entered the school with a chainsaw around 10 am on Saturday. She suffered severe injuries to her face, head and neck, while another student was injured while trying to protect her.Recounting the sequence of events after the incident, Nara Lokesh said he alerted the police and district health authorities immediately after receiving information about the attack. The injured girl was initially taken to Anantapur Government General Hospital, where doctors worked for nearly eight hours to stabilise her condition. She was subsequently shifted to Bengaluru through a green corridor for advanced treatment. Doctors at Manipal Hospital performed surgery lasting nearly 12 hours before moving her to the intensive care unit.The girl had suffered multiple grievous injuries, including the severing of her right hand, several fractures and damage to blood vessels. She was brought to the Bengaluru hospital in critical condition and required 10 units of blood to control the bleeding. Lokesh assured the family that the state government would provide full support for her treatment and rehabilitation. He said ensuring her healthcare and recovery was both the government's collective responsibility and his personal responsibility.Calling the attack extremely unfortunate, the minister said it should not be politicised. He acknowledged that the incident had exposed the need to strengthen safety systems and preventive measures in schools. "We will not allow such incidents to recur," he said, assuring that the government would take steps to prevent similar attacks.Lokesh also warned of severe consequences for anyone harassing women or engaging in indecent behaviour in Andhra Pradesh, saying strict action would be taken against those responsible for the school attack.The accused was arrested within hours of the incident, police said.The attack has drawn condemnation from Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who assured the victim's family of government support and called for strict action against the accused.The opposition YSR Congress Party has demanded Lokesh's resignation as Education Minister, alleging that the attack exposed the government's failure to protect students in schools.- Ends