Mumbai: The knife attack on actor Saif Ali Khan has left the film fraternity in shock, with many questioning how the intruder gained access to his home in the posh Bandra locality. Left bleeding after the attack, he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery. He is now out of danger.
The cops have formed 20 teams to arrest the accused and are looking into the chain of events that unfolded in the Satguru Sharan building where the actor lives with his wife and actor Kareena Kapoor Khan and their two sons.
There was no sign of forced entry, nor was anyone captured on CCTV entering the premises in the two hours before the attack. Police said that the intruder had entered the actor’s home to commit burglary.
According to police sources, the intruder had scaled the wall of an adjacent compound to enter the premises. Officials said the intruder was familiar with the layout of the building and took the stairs on the rear side the building to reach the floor where the actor lives. He then entered Mr Khan’s home through the fire escape, said cops.
He was first spotted in the actor’s younger son Jeh’s room. Jeh’s nanny Eliyama Philip said she first spotted the intruder around 2 am and confronted him.
“I saw the bathroom door ajar and the light on and assumed it was Kareena Kapoor. Soon I sensed something was wrong and when I went to check, I saw a man come out of the bathroom and enter Taimur and Jeh’s room,” she said.
The 56-year-old nanny said when she confronted the man, he demanded Rs 1 crore. She was injured as she tried to fight him off while another house help Junu – who was in the same room – rushed to Mr Khan’s room and woke him up.
Saif Ali Khan then confronted the intruder and was stabbed six times. Another house help, Geeta, helped Mr Khan overpower the intruder and locked him inside a room.
Everyone then went to the upper floor of their home, but the intruder managed to escape by then. According to police sources, he was captured on CCTV cameras on the sixth floor while fleeing. However, there was no sign of him after that – he was not seen on CCTVs in the lobby area. The cops suspect he used the fire shaft to reach the ground floor and exited through the back door, sources said.
The break-in lasted for 30 minutes.
Mr Khan was left bleeding from six injuries, including one in his spine. The intruder’s knife was lodged into his spine due to which his spinal fluid had leaked out.
With no cars ready to leave at the moment, he was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, about 2 km from their home. The doctors at the hospital conducted plastic surgeries on his hand and neck and repaired the spinal injury.
The cops have registered a case of robbery, trespassing, and causing grievous hurt.
