Meet Mesum Abdullah: Teacher who was stabbed in the neck while protecting pupils during Manchester school attack, wife calls him ‘real hero’ | World News

A teacher at a Manchester secondary school who was injured in a knife attack has been praised for protecting pupils after intervening after violence broke out in his classroom.Maysum Abdullah, 27, a teacher at Manchester Co-operative College, was hailed as a hero for standing up to protect pupils during a knife attack at the school. He suffered injuries to his neck and hands during the incident in Brackley on Tuesday and is recovering at home after being treated in hospital.A 14-year-old girl has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and two counts of possession of a bladed article at school. She is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.Two other 14-year-old students were also injured in the attack but have since been discharged from hospital. Police said neither man was seriously injured.Abdullah told the Manchester Evening News that he was recovering with his wife and was still trying to come to terms with what had happened.His wife Sema described him as a “hero” for standing up to protect children during the attack. She said in a TikTok post that the family received a devastating phone call informing them that he had been stabbed and taken to hospital.She said his injuries were not life-threatening, but noted the emotional impact of the incident will continue long after the physical wounds have healed.She wrote: “My husband went into teaching to make a positive impact in the lives of young people, and he is truly a hero for protecting and safeguarding these children.”Saima also expressed support for the injured students and others affected by the incident, saying her thoughts were with the students and staff who witnessed the attack.Due to the circumstances of the case, the investigation is being led by the North West Counter Terrorism Police Service, but authorities have not classified the incident as a terrorism incident.Police said the teenage suspect was initially detained under the Mental Health Act before being released into police custody after being assessed by health care professionals.Detective Chief Superintendent Jonathan Chadwick, head of counter-terrorism policing for the North West, described the allegations as extremely serious and said officers would continue to support the victims, their families and the wider school community.He said: “While charges have now been established, our investigation remains ongoing and we continue to work with local police colleagues in the Brackley area.”