Three injured after stabbing incident at Australian National University

Three people, including two women, were injured in a stabbing incident at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, ABC News reported.

Two female students aged 20 years have been taken to hospital, one of them in critical condition. A 34-year-old man was also assaulted but he received minor injuries and did not require hospitalisation, quoting the police, the ABC News said.

A man aged 24 years who is not believed to be an ANU student is in custody over the incident, police said. The man has not been charged at this time and no specific motive behind the incident has been identified. It further said that no other person is being sought by police in connection with the incident.

ACT Policing and ACT Ambulance Service were called to the university campus at 2:45 pm (local time) after receiving reports of a stabbing, according to ABC News report.

An email was sent to all ANU staff and students at about 3:30 pm (local time) informing them about the incident that took place at the campus. The ANU has also released a statement telling the public to avoid the site of the incident as the investigation is being carried out.

"An individual is in police custody and there is no threat to the community," the email said, according to ABC News report.

In the statement, the university has asked people to stay away from Fellows Oval and Chifley Meadow on the ANU campus. It further said, "These areas remain closed and are an ongoing scene of investigation." The university asked ANU staff and students to support services available on its website.

In an email to all staff and students, ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt appreciated both emergency services and campus security for their swift response, according to the ABC News report.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the swift and efficient response from ACT Policing, ACT Ambulance Service and our own ANU Security team," Schmidt said. (ANI)