Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra early Thursday in a shocking attack that raises intriguing questions about security, motive, and celebrity life.
Khan, 54, was “out of danger” following an emergency surgery, said the doctors at the Lilavati Hospital where he was rushed following the incident that took place around 2.30 am at his apartment in `Satguru Sharan’ building.
A 2.5-inch piece of knife was removed from his spine, the doctors said, adding that he was on “100 percent recovery path”.
The police registered a case of `armed robbery with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt’. The attacker fled using the building’s staircase, a senior police official said, adding that his CCTV visual was traced on the sixth floor, and 10 teams have been formed to nab him.
Khan’s domestic help, who raised the alarm first, also sustained a minor injury to her hand during the scuffle. She later lodged a police complaint.
“He sustained six injuries, two are minor, two intermediate and two deep injuries, one of the injuries is on the back which is close to spine,” the hospital’s chief operating officer Dr Niraj Uttamani told PTI.
“Saif sustained a major injury to his thoracic spine due to a knife…..Surgery was performed to remove the knife and also to repair the leaking spinal fluid,” said Dr Dange.
“There were two other deep wounds in his left hand and right side of the neck which were repaired by the plastic surgery team.
“Khan is completely stable now. He is in recovery mode and is completely out of danger,” Dr Dange added.
According to Dr Uttamani, the actor was “on 100 per cent recovery path as per our initial understanding.” “He has been shifted to the ICU. Maybe in a day or two he will be shifted to the (non-ICU) ward,” he added.
The actor’s representatives described the incident as an “attempted burglary”
Bollywood actors Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan were seen arriving at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai to meet their father, Saif Ali Khan. Saif’s sister Soha visibly worried was seen outside the hospital after having met her brother.
Kareena Kapoor Khan’s team has issued a statement on the attack.”There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and (his wife and actor) Kareena Kapoor Khan’s residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which he is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine,” Kareena’s team said.
“We request the media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the police is already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern,” the statement said.
Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar leader Supriya Sule has expressed concern over the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan by an intruder at his home in Mumbai and termed the incident as “worrisome”.
Sule, who is a friend of Saif Ali Khan’s wife Kareena Kapoor Khan’s family, said the actor was hospitalised and was safe.
Saif’s mother legend Sharmila Tagore had cancelled her scheduled visit to Kolkata for an event following the stabbing incident.
