Now Reading: Andhra High Court seeks report on police firing in chainsaw case
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Andhra High Court seeks report on police firing in chainsaw case
The Story in Brief
The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday, 4 November, directed the state police to file a detailed report on the shooting of Hemanth alias Dummu, the accused in the chainsaw attack on a class 10 girl in Raptadu, Anantapur district. A division bench led by Chief Justice Lisa Gill sought an affidavit explaining the circumstances of the firing, which occurred on 1 November in the Atmakur forest, and the subsequent handling of the injured man. The court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Gunda Gopi Krishna.
Hemanth, 21, allegedly entered the Zilla Parishad High School on 31 October with a chainsaw and attacked the 15-year-old girl. Another student was also injured. Police said they shot him in both legs when he tried to escape custody and hurled stones at officers. His right leg was later amputated at Anantapur Government General Hospital. Social media videos showed Hemanth being carried to the hospital in a semi-conscious state. The court also asked for the medical status of the girl, who is being treated in Bengaluru.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Hindustan Times leads with the court seeking a report and the circulated videos of the accused being carried to hospital, while The Hindu details the petitioner's argument on the necessity and proportionality of the six rounds fired. Both agree the court is hearing a PIL, but Hindustan Times gives space to the police account of the accused trying to flee and hurl stones, whereas The Hindu foregrounds the advocate's call for an impartial investigation into the shooting. The balanced reading is that the court has requested an affidavit from the police, and the debate centres on whether the use of force was proportionate, with the accused having lost a leg. The high court is likely to review the police explanation at the next hearing.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com (neutral report), thehindu.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Update, 5 November 2026: this story now draws on 2 sources.
