In the early hours of Thursday morning, a routine drive turned into a critical moment for 47-year-old auto-rickshaw driver Bhajan Singh Rana. He found himself transporting Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan to Lilavati Hospital in Bandra following a stabbing incident at the actor’s residence.
Responding to a cry for help
Rana was near the Satguru Darshan building, where Saif resides, when he heard urgent calls for help.
Saif Ali Khan Health Update
“I was driving my rickshaw and suddenly heard someone shouting, ‘Rickshaw ruko (stop the rickshaw),” Rana recalled.
A woman and others flagged him down. “The person whose white kurta was soaked in blood got in the auto. I noticed he had neck and back injuries but did not see the hand injury,” he added. “At first, I thought it was a regular assault case,” he recalled.
Saif, visibly injured, approached the rickshaw and entered. “He walked towards me himself and sat in the auto. He was in an injured state. A small child and one more person were with him,” said Rana.
The drive to Lilavati
Despite stab wounds to his neck, back, and stomach, Saif remained composed. “He asked, ‘Kitna time lagega (How much time will it take to reach the hospital)?’” Rana recounted.
Initially, the plan was to go to Holy Family Hospital, but the passengers decided on Lilavati Hospital instead. Rana drove swiftly, reaching the hospital in about 10 minutes. “I just took a U-turn and stopped the auto at the gate,” he said.
Upon arrival, Saif revealed his identity. “It was only when we reached the hospital gate that he called the guard to fetch a stretcher, saying he was Saif Ali Khan,” said Rana.
Saif’s kurta was soaked in blood
In his injured state, Saif refused to use a wheelchair. “A wheelchair was brought for him, but he refused to sit on it. Then stretchers were brought, and he lay down on one before being taken inside,” said Rana.
Saif’s white kurta was soaked in blood, but he managed to walk on his own. “There were three people in total — Saif, a kid, and a young man. He seemed normal while I was taking him to the hospital,” Rana added.
The journey ended around 3 am. “His white kurta turned red, and there was a lot of blood loss. Even after getting out of the rickshaw, he walked on his own. I didn’t take any fare,” he said.
Rana admitted to feeling scared about the situation, fearing potential trouble. No police statement has been taken so far.