MUMBAI: An FIR was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for armed robbery and attempt to cause death or grievous hurt and house-trespass following the attack by an intruder at actor Saif Ali Khan’s residence. The case was filed based on a complaint by the domestic help, Eliyamma Phillip.
Recounting the sequence of events in her complaint, Phillips told police that when she first heard the sound of the intruder breaking in at around 2.30am, she thought it was the actor’s wife who had come to check on her children.
Saif Ali Khan Health Update
“I thought Kareena had come to see Jeh (Jehangir) baba and went to check. I didn’t see her and went back to bed. But I thought something was amiss, and when I went back to look, I saw the shadow of a man…he came out of the bathroom and tried to enter Jeh baba’s bedroom. I immediately raised an alarm.” The FIR mentions the weapon as hacksaw blade.
DCP (Zone IX) Dikshit Gedam said, “It is unclear how the intruder entered the flat as there is no forceful entry. He was seen leaving the building through the fire exit staircase, it was captured on CCTV.” The man can be seen in the footage stealing a glance at the camera on his way out. Ten teams have been formed by the local Bandra police and seven teams by the crime branch to trace the suspect.
In her Instagram post, Kareena Kapoor Khan wrote, “It has been an incredibly challenging day for our family, and we are still trying to process the events that have unfolded. As we navigate this difficult time, I respectfully and humbly request that the media and paparazzi refrain from the relentless speculation and coverage.”
A police source said Kareena had returned home a few minutes before the incident. “Three maids, one male servant, actor Khan and his wife confronted the intruder before he attacked the actor with a knife. When they tried to nab him, he locked himself up in a room. Kareena rushed Khan down to take him to the hospital. It is suspected that this was when the intruder managed to escape,” said police.
As the family’s drivers were not present on duty at the time of the incident, Kareena got her domestic help to rush downstairs to hail an autorickshaw. “Meanwhile, one of the maids called Khan’s elder son Ibrahim who lives in another building in the neighbourhood. Ibrahim and a domestic help (Hari) took the actor to Lilavati Hospital where he underwent surgery,” said the police.
There were 11 people in the flat when the attack happened, including the actor, his wife and two children. Police are probing if any of the staff let the intruder in. “Three male workers were sleeping on the 12th floor terrace when the incident occurred. All the domestic help hail from Kerala, Bihar and Nepal,” said the police.
Bandra is home to several star families. Pali Hill, Turner Road and the seafront of Bandstand-Carter Road are neighbourhoods of superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, who have also faced threats. After the incident, amid criticism on social media about safety and security in Mumbai, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis reacted saying Mumbai is still the “safest” city in India. “It is true that such incidents happen, but it cannot be used to besmirch Mumbai’s image,” he said.
