17 January,2025 01:13 PM IST | Mumbai | Faizan Khan
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Recent reports have suggested that the individual who attacked actor Saif Ali Khan may have previously conducted a reconnaissance of Shah Rukh Khan's residence a few days earlier. However, these claims have been officially denied by the Mumbai Police. "Nothing of this sort has been discovered till now. Request to all the members not to speculate without confirmation," said DCP Dixit Gedam.
The incident, which took place in the early hours of Thursday, has sent shockwaves through the Bollywood community. The Bandra police are now questioning two individuals who were working on the flooring of Saif Ali Khan's residence, Satguru Sharan. The police suspect that the attacker was familiar with the layout of the building, which enabled him to use both the shaft and stairs to access the 11th floor, where the actor resides with his family.
According to law enforcement officials, the intruder's movements appear to indicate a certain level of knowledge of the building. "The accused used both the shaft and the stairs to enter the building and reach the 11th floor. It seems he had prior knowledge of the premises," an officer stated. Investigators are also probing whether the individuals working on the terrace at the time could be connected to the assailant.
Interestingly, the suspect was reportedly last seen on the sixth floor of the building as he fled the scene. CCTV footage from the lobby did not capture his entry or exit, but it did show him on the sixth floor while escaping. "It appears the suspect used the stairs to descend to the sixth floor, where he was captured by a camera installed outside a resident's flat," the officer added. After that, the assailant was not seen again, nor was he caught exiting the building through the main entrance. Officials suspect that he might have used the shaft again to reach the ground floor and made his escape from the rear of the building, an area not covered by surveillance cameras.
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The horror began when the intruder, after jumping over a wall from a neighbouring building, climbed the shaft and entered the premises without triggering the building's CCTV system. He used the stairs to reach the 11th floor, where Saif Ali Khan and his family reside. It was the family's nanny, Eliyama Philip, who first noticed the suspicious activity when she saw a bathroom light on and, upon investigating, spotted the shadow of a man.
The intruder, armed with a knife, then attacked Philip, who screamed in terror, prompting Saif to rush out and confront the assailant. A chaotic struggle ensued, and as Saif attempted to flee, the intruder attacked him on the back. However, the actor was able to lock himself in a room. Despite this, the assailant managed to break through the door and ran towards the stairs.
Saif was eventually taken to Lilavati Hospital by his eldest son, Ibrahim, in an auto-rickshaw. The case has left many questions unanswered, especially regarding the suspect's motives and connections, and investigations continue to unfold as the police work to uncover the truth behind this disturbing attack.