MUMBAI: In an incident that sent shockwaves through Bollywood and raised questions about security in upscale neighbourhoods, actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed repeatedly by an intruder in his penthouse in Mumbai’s Bandra during an apparent burglary attempt early on Thursday.
Khan, 54, suffered multiple injuries and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital where doctors operated on him.
Saif Ali Khan Health Update
The hospital later issued a statement saying he was “out of danger”.
A Bandra police officer said the culprit is suspected to have scaled a wall to enter the 13-storey Satguru Sharan building. A duct is believed to have given him access to a 11th floor flat through a toilet window. Khan owns the top four floors of the building.
The incident took place around 2.30am. As per the FIR, the intruder – described as a man in the late 30s of slim build and dark complexion – was spotted by Eliyamma Phillip, a stay-at-home nurse, outside the actor’s son Jehangir’s bedroom. Phillip told police she woke up on hearing a noise and found a bathroom light on. “I saw the shadow of a man wearing a cap and became nervous. He came out of the bathroom and tried to enter Jai baba’s bedroom. I immediately raised an alarm,” she said.
Phillip said the intruder warned her in English to stay silent and demanded 1 crore before he attacked with a knife, causing minor injuries on her wrist, back and face. Her screams woke up a maid, Junu, who called out for help, prompting Saif and his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan to come rushing.
They were joined by a male domestic worker and two other maids. Saif was stabbed and slashed on the neck and spine and other body parts as he tried to overpower the intruder. “A piece of the knife that broke was found in his back,” said a police officer.