NEW DELHI: Mumbai Police successfully arrested a Bangladeshi national, Mohd Shariful Islam Shehzadwho allegedly attacked Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan in his Bandra residence in the early hours of Thursday.
The breakthrough came after an intense three-day search, in which investigators relied on a labor contractor’s tip to locate the suspect in a forested area of Thane.
The attack occurred at approximately 2.30 am when the intruder entered Khan’s apartment on the 12th floor of the exclusive ‘Satguru Sharan’ building, allegedly with the intention of robbing him. The altercation unfolded after a staff member confronted Shehzad, prompting Khan, 54, to intervene.
The intruder then stabbed the actor several times, causing serious injuries, including a wound to the 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 the Mumbai Crime Branch, revealed that Shehzad, a 31-year-old man from Jhalokati in Bangladesh, had entered India illegally and had adopted multiple aliases, including “Vijay Das”. CCTV footage showed him near Dadar railway station and Worli Koliwada before visiting a labor contractor in Thane.
This contractor provided the police with critical information that led them to a labor camp in Thane, news agency PTI reported. The suspect was arrested when he was allegedly planning to flee to Bangladesh.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dixit Gedam, Shehzad had been living in Mumbai for more than five months, working menial jobs under false identities. Investigators suspect Shehzad did not know which residence he had entered and are investigating his motives and past activities.
No 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 of serious assault and housebreaking, as well as provisions of the Passport Act for his illegal entry into India. Shehzad was produced before the court on Sunday, where the police sought his custody for further interrogation.