3 min readHyderabadNov 1, 2026 10:15 AM ISTThe chainsaw used in the Andhra school attack.The Class 10 girl who was allegedly attacked with a chainsaw at a zilla parishad school in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday morning was shifted to Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru, late at night and is now in stable condition.HRD and IT Minister N Lokesh Naidu said that after providing preliminary treatment, they promptly arranged her transfer by ambulance. The police cleared the route, establishing a ‘green channel’ and escorting the ambulance to the hospital in the neighbouring state.“I have been in constant touch with the medical team at Manipal Hospital. I am relieved to hear that the doctors have managed to control the bleeding and that her condition is currently stable. She is undergoing orthopaedic surgery, which will be followed by plastic surgery to treat her facial and other injuries,’’ Lokesh said in a statement.He stated that the Manipal Hospital team stabilised her condition with blood transfusions and supportive treatment, which brought her high blood pressure to manageable levels. Lokesh will visit the hospital on Sunday.On Saturday, a 21-year-old man stated to be a relative was arrested in connection with the alleged attack at the school. The girl suffered deep cuts to her neck, face and abdomen, while her right hand was nearly severed.Another student was injured while attempting to intervene. The other student is recovering at the Anantapur Government Hospital.Counsellors to provide supportLokesh said Sunday morning that a team of 20 counsellors had been sent to Raptadu to provide support to the students and teachers who were left terrified by the attack.Story continues below this ad“We are taking special measures to alleviate the fear and anxiety among students and restore their mental fortitude. A dedicated team of 20 mental health counsellors has been assembled to support the students who have been left emotionally distressed by the event. Counsellors are personally visiting the homes of the 32 students from the Class 10 ‘A’ section—where the incident occurred—to speak with both the students and their parents,” the statement said.“Furthermore, plans are in place to visit the homes of all female students across classes 8, 9, and 10 to provide necessary counselling. The counsellors are working to instil mental strength, helping the students overcome their fear and anxiety so that they may return to school with renewed self-confidence. The Education Department has made arrangements to ensure continued support, enabling students to focus on their studies without any fear.”Family yet to understand reason for attackEarlier, on Saturday, the family of the Class 10 girl said they are unable to understand why she was targeted.“She hardly spoke with anyone. She is shy, only interested in her studies, and close only to the friend who tried to protect her. We do not know if he spoke with her or pursued her. Every morning, she went by autorickshaw to school with other students and returned in the same vehicle,” one relative said.© The Indian Express Pvt LtdSreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the ... Read More Tags:Andhra PradeshAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementAdvertisement