A man believed to be a Bangladeshi national was arrested on Sunday in Mumbai, India’s financial capital, and is considered the prime suspect in the stabbing of Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan, police said.
Thursday’s attack on Khan, one of India’s most bankable stars, shocked the country’s film industry and Mumbai residents, with many calling for better surveillance and security. He was out of danger, doctors said, and left the hospital.
“Primary evidence suggests that the accused is a Bangladeshi national and after entering India illegally he changed his name,” Dixit Gedam, deputy commissioner of police, said at a news conference.
The suspect, arrested on the outskirts of Mumbai, used the name Vijay Das but is believed to be Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad and was working with a cleaning agency after arriving in the city five or six months ago, Gedam said.
Police will seek custody of the suspect for further investigation, he added.
Khan, 54, was stabbed six times by an intruder during an attempted robbery at his home. He underwent surgery after suffering stab wounds to his spine, neck and hands, doctors said.
Mumbai police detained a first key suspect in the attack on Friday, while police in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh detained a second person on Saturday.
