NEW DELHI: Mumbai Police successfully apprehended a Bangladeshi national, Mohd Shariful Islam Shehzad, who allegedly attacked Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra residence in the early hours of Thursday.
The breakthrough came after an intense three-day manhunt, with investigators relying on a labour contractor’s tip to locate the suspect in a forested area of Thane.
The attack occurred at approximately 2.30am when the intruder entered Khan’s 12th-floor apartment in the upscale ‘Satguru Sharan’ building, reportedly with the intent to steal. The altercation unfolded after a staff member confronted Shehzad, prompting Khan, 54, to intervene.
The intruder then stabbed the actor multiple times, causing serious injuries, including a wound to his thoracic spine. Khan was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery to remove a 2.5-inch blade. Doctors confirmed that the actor is now out of danger and recovering.
The investigation, led by Mumbai’s Crime Branch, revealed that Shehzad, a 31-year-old from Jhalokati in Bangladesh, had entered India illegally and adopted multiple aliases, including “Vijay Das.” CCTV footage showed him near Dadar railway station and Worli Koliwada before he visited a labour contractor in Thane.
This contractor provided police with critical that led them to a labour camp in Thane, news agency PTI reported. The suspect was apprehended while allegedly planning to flee to Bangladesh.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dixit Gedam, Shehzad had been living in Mumbai for over five months, working in housekeeping jobs under false identities. Investigators suspect that Shehzad was unaware of whose residence he had entered and are probing his motives and past activities.
No prior criminal record has been discovered so far, but police are examining documents seized during the operation to verify his background.
A case has been registered against Shehzad under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, including charges for grievous assault and housebreaking, as well as provisions of the Passport Act for his illegal entry into India. Shehzad was presented in court on Sunday, where police sought his custody for further interrogation.
