Actor Saif Ali Khan stabbed by intruder at Mumbai home

 

 

 

BOLLYWOOD star Saif Ali Khan was repeatedly stabbed by an intruder in his highrise apartment in upscale Bandra early Thursday and rushed to hospital with the blade still lodged in his spine, an audacious attack that raises intriguing questions about security and celebrity life in the financial and showbiz hub. The 54-year-old, who received six stab injuries, including in his neck, was out of danger following an emergency surgery at the Lilavati Hospital where he was taken after the attack outside his younger son Jeh’s room around 2.30 am.The entire family - Khan, his wife, fellow star Kareena Kapoor, and their two sons, fouryear-old Jeh and eight-year-old Taimur - were home in the 12th floor apartment along with their five house helps.

 

In a statement to the police, Jeh’s nanny Eliyama Philip, who first encountered the armed attacker, said he asked for Rs 1 crore. The intruder did not force his entry or break into the actor’s flat but possibly sneaked in at some point during the night withthe intention of robbery, policeofficials said. The attacker, whomade his escape through thestairs, remains on the run. Recounting the horrific eventsof the night, Philip said she wassleeping on the floor in Jeh’s roomand woke up around 2 am whenshe heard a sound and saw aman move towards the sleepingchild. Panicked, she rushed topick him up and was pushedaway by the man, armed with awooden stick and a long Hexablade. Another nanny was alsosleeping in the same room.

 

“I sat up to see who was in thebathroom… I saw a thin andshort man come out and gotowards Jeh’s bed,” Philip said inthe statement that forms thebasis of the police FIR on the incident. The man, she said, pointed a finger at her andwarned her, “Koi awaz nahin(don’t make any noise) “In the scuffle, he attacked me with the blade. I got injured on my wrist. I asked him what he wants. He said he wants money and that he needs Rs 1 crore,” Philip, who has been working with the star couple for four years, said in her statement. Hearing her scream, Khan and Kareena rushed out of their room. The intruder, who Philip said was between 35-40 years old, then attacked Khan with a knife. During the commotion, another house help also rushed out to raise an alarm.

 

The intruder then ran away. CCTV footage showed the alleged assailant, wearing a red scarf and carrying a backpack, scurrying down the stairs from the sixth floor of the Satguru Sharan building. At least 10 police teams were formed to untangle the sensational crime targeting the “Dil Chahta Hai” actor and his family, amongst the most high profile and most photographed in Mumbai. Fadnavis responded by saying that the attack was serious but it would be incorrect to call Mumbai unsafe. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said the incident shows that the law and order situation is deteriorating in Maharashtra. “Recently, a person was killed in the same area and now this incident. All these things are worrisome,” Pawar told reporters at Baramati.