Police in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district opened fire on 21-year-old Hemanth, alias Dummu, on Sunday night, November 1, 2026, after he allegedly attempted to escape police custody while being taken for a crime scene reconstruction.
Hemanth was arrested earlier in the day from the Atmakur forest area following an intensive manhunt for barging into Zilla Parishad High School in Rapthadu and brutally attacking a 15-year-old Class 10 student with a chainsaw.
Escaped Attempt and Police Firing
According to senior officials at the Anantapur police headquarters, the encounter occurred while a special police team was escorting Hemanth to the crime scene at Rapthadu:
The accused allegedly attempted to break free and hurled stones at the police personnel, injuring several officers who tried to overpower him. Police personnel fired six rounds in self-defence to neutralize his escape. Hemanth sustained severe bullet injuries and was rushed to the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Anantapur, where his condition remains serious.
Victim’s Condition Critical; 20-Hour Surgery Performed
The victim, a Class 10 student, suffered severe life-threatening injuries—including deep face and neck lacerations and near-severance of her right hand—during the attack inside her classroom on Saturday morning. A classmate who attempted to protect her was also injured.
After an 8-hour emergency operation at Anantapur GGH to stabilize her bleeding, she was shifted via a green corridor to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru, where doctors performed an additional 12-hour surgical procedure.
Andhra Pradesh IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh visited the hospital in Bengaluru to monitor her recovery, stating that the next 48 hours remain extremely critical. Lokesh assured full state support for her rehabilitation and warned of strict action against anyone engaging in crimes against women.
