Saif Ali Khan seriously injured in knife attack by intruder at home in Bandra

The suspect, who also allegedly injured a house help, fled the scene and a massive manhunt has been launched to apprehend him, police said.

Khan was taken to hospital in an autorickshaw by son Ibrahim, who was called to the apartment after the incident, and a member of the household staff.

The incident occurred between 2 and 2.30 am while Khan and his family members were asleep at their home on the 11th and 12th floors of the Satguru Sharan building.

According to police, one of the household staff, identified as Eliyamma Philip (also known as Lima), was the first to notice the intruder, who allegedly attacked her when she attempted to stop him. She suffered only minor injuries.

Scenes outside Saif Ali Khan’s residence in Bandra (West). (Express Photo)

Her screams alerted the family, prompting Khan to intervene. A violent struggle ensued, during which the actor was stabbed with a sharp object, according to police.

Police said the attacker used the building’s fire escape route to enter as well as to flee. While there was no forced entry, and no valuables were reported missing, authorities suspect that theft may have been the motive. Preliminary investigations suggest that the assailant had knowledge of the apartment, leading police to believe someone inside may have assisted him.

In CCTV footage accessed by the police, the accused could be seen escaping through the fire exit stairs.

Police said the attacker entered the gated housing society in which the building is located by jumping over the compound wall.

Crime scene investigators and forensic teams have gathered evidence, and a sniffer dog unit was deployed at the location. Additionally, police are also questioning workers who have been engaged in polishing the floor at Khan’s apartment.

“A total of 20 police teams are working on different leads and putting a collective effort to trace the culprit,” said Satyanarayan Chaudhary, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order).

An FIR was registered by Bandra police under BNS sections 311, 312, 331(4), 331(6), 331(7), which deal with attempted robbery, causing grievous hurt with the intention of robbery, and trespassing, said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 9, Dixit Gedam.

Doctors at Lilavati Hospital said Khan is recovering in ICU following his surgery.

Dr Niraj Uttamani, Chief Operating Officer of Lilavati Hospital, said, “Fortunately, the injuries, while deep, were managed very well by our medical team. Khan is in the ICU, but is recovering steadily. We anticipate moving him to the general ward in a day or two.”

Dr Nitin Dange, the neurosurgeon who led the spinal surgery, said, “The knife, lodged in the thoracic spine, caused a major injury, including a leak in the spinal fluid. We successfully removed the foreign object and repaired the spinal damage to prevent further complications. It was a delicate operation, requiring coordinated efforts from our team.” He said the actor is now out of danger.

In addition to the spinal surgery, a plastic surgery team, led by Dr Leena Jain, repaired deep wounds on Khan’s left hand and the right side of his neck. The injuries, inflicted by sharp objects, required intricate stitching and tissue repair. “Given the nature of these wounds, our priority was to ensure proper healing and minimise the risk of scarring,” Jain said.

Throughout the procedures, Khan was closely monitored by cardiologist Dr Srinivas Kudwa to ensure he remained stable under anaesthesia.

The attack on Khan marks the third major attack on an influential figure in the Bandra area in the past nine months. In April 2024, alleged members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang fired shots at actor Salman Khan’s residence. In October of the same year, NCP leader Baba Siddique, who is known to have been close to Salman Khan, was shot dead in Bandra (East).

After Thursday’s attack, the Opposition has targeted the Maharashtra government over the law and order situation in the state.

Expressing grave concern, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said, “Law and order is clearly deteriorating. A murder took place in this area, and now this is the second attempt at murder. These incidents are deeply worrying. I request the state government, especially the Chief Minister who is also the Home Minister, to take this matter seriously.”

Speaking to reporters on Thursday afternoon after attending a special screening of the movie Emergency, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, said Mumbai was the “safest megacity”.

“Among all the megacities in the country, Mumbai is the safest. It is true that some incidents take place sometimes and they should be treated with seriousness, but to say, based on one incident, that Mumbai is unsafe would not be correct. This tarnishes Mumbai’s image. But the government is working to make Mumbai even safer,” the Chief Minister said.