Saif Ali Khan was stabbed six times, including a critical wound to his neck, at his upscale Bandra West apartment on Thursday.
Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has been moved out of the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and is making a remarkable recovery, according to doctors treating him after he was stabbed by an intruder at his Mumbai residence.Mr. Khan suffered six stab wounds, one of which was to his neck, during the attack that occurred at his luxurious apartment in Bandra West around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday. Following the attack, a 2.5-inch fragment of the knife blade had to be surgically removed from his spine during an extensive five-hour procedure.”Saif Ali Khan is recovering exceptionally well. We made him walk, and he’s walking without any issues or significant pain,” Dr. Nitin Narayan Dange of Lilavati Hospital stated during a media briefing today. “He has been transferred from the ICU to a private room. However, visitor access will be restricted for at least a week to prevent any risk of infection due to the spinal injury,” he added.Dr. Dange reassured everyone that there is no risk of paralysis stemming from the injuries.Niraj Uttamani, Chief Operating Officer of Lilavati Hospital, shared an inspiring account of Mr. Khan’s resilience. “When he arrived at the hospital, he was soaked in blood but walked in with the composure and strength of a lion, accompanied by his son, Taimur Ali Khan. Remarkably, he didn’t even use a stretcher. He is truly a ‘real hero.’”Reflecting on the severity of the incident, Mr. Uttamani added, “Saif Ali Khan is incredibly fortunate. If the knife had penetrated just 2 mm deeper, he would have suffered a much more critical injury.”The attack occurred while Mr. Khan was at home with his family, which includes his wife, actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, and their two sons—four-year-old Jeh and eight-year-old Taimur—in their 12-story apartment building in Bandra West. Despite the traumatic experience, the actor’s resilience and positive outlook have left both his medical team and fans deeply impressed.
In her statement to the police, Ms. Philip, who has been a part of the Khan household for four years, revealed that she was the first to notice the intruder at Mr. Khan’s 11th-floor apartment. The attacker, described as a man aged between 35 and 40, was armed with a knife and later fled the scene.
Ms. Philip also disclosed that the assailant, who was spotted near Bandra railway station hours after the incident and remains at large, demanded a ransom of ₹1 crore during the attack.
The 12-story building, Satguru Sharan, where Saif Ali Khan was attacked, has become the center of attention.
Eliyama Philip, a nurse caring for Mr. Khan’s four-year-old son Jehangir (Jeh), shared her harrowing account with the police. She recalled waking up to unusual noises around 2 a.m., about three hours after Jeh had been put to bed. Initially, she assumed Kareena Kapoor Khan was checking on her younger son upon noticing the bathroom door slightly open with the light on.
“I went back to sleep but felt something was wrong. When I woke up again, I saw a man stepping out of the bathroom and entering the boy’s room,” she stated.
Ms. Philip quickly rushed to Jeh’s room, where the armed intruder—holding a wooden stick and a long Hexa blade—warned her in Hindi to stay silent, saying, “Don’t make any noise, nobody will go out.”
As she attempted to pick up Jeh, the attacker charged at her. “I tried to block the attack with my hands, but the blade struck my wrists and the middle finger of my left hand,” she recounted.
When she asked the man what he wanted, he demanded ₹1 crore, switching to English to state his ransom.
The commotion alerted Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan, who rushed out of their room. According to Ms. Philip’s statement, the intruder attacked Mr. Khan with a wooden object and the Hexa blade. Despite the attack, Mr. Khan managed to escape, and the family fled to the upper floor of their apartment, securing themselves behind a door.
The attacker, however, managed to flee the scene, leaving behind a trail of shock and fear.
Suspect in Saif Ali Khan Knife Attack
Police sources revealed that there were no signs of forced entry, nor was anyone seen on CCTV entering the premises within two hours before the attack.
The intruder, believed to have broken into the actor’s home intending to commit burglary, reportedly scaled the wall of a neighboring compound to gain access. Familiar with the building’s layout, he used the rear staircase to reach the floor where Saif Ali Khan resides. He then entered the apartment through the fire escape.
Mumbai Police have launched a manhunt, deploying 20 teams to track down the suspect. The accused was captured on CCTV fleeing the building after the incident.