Saif Ali Khan stabbing: 20 teams formed to track attacker, Mumbai Police review CCTV

The Mumbai Police on Friday said the accused involved in the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was last seen near Bandra railway station and that the search is on to nab him, news agency ANI an official said.

Police suspect that after the incident, the suspect caught the first local train in the morning and headed towards Vasai Virar. Mumbai Police teams are searching Vasai, Nalasopara and Virar areas, a Hindustan Times report said quoting the official,

Police are examining the CCTV camera footage of the building showing the intruder, who was armed with a wooden stick and a long Hexa blade, fleeing after the attack which took during a "burglary attempt" in the apartment housed in 'Satguru Sharan' building, they said.

The 54-year-old, who received six stab injuries, including in his neck, was out of danger following an emergency surgery at the Lilavati Hospital where he was taken after the attack in the early hours of Thursday. He continues to be in the hospital.

The footage, captured at 2.33 am, clearly showed the young suspect's face. He is seen wearing a brown T-shirt with a collar and a red scarf while descending the stairs on the sixth floor of the building. The actor lives on the 12th floor.

Besides Khan, a 56-year-old staff nurse at the house, Eliyama Philip, who is the complainant, and a domestic help suffered blade injuries in the incident, said an official on Thursday.

Based on details gathered from the footage and other clues, police have launched a search for the attacker. Investigators believe the intruder may have changed his clothes before fleeing the spot, an official said.

Police have recorded statements of nurse Philip, house helps, the guard of the building and questioning some persons, he informed.

 "Police have formed 20 teams and launched a search for the accused," he said, adding they are trying to find out if he has a previous criminal record. Probe teams are also taking the help of informers and relying on technical support to nab the attacker, another official said.

The intruder did not force his entry or break into the actor's flat but possibly sneaked in at some point during the night with the intention of robbery, police officials said. The attacker, who scurried down the stairs, remains on the run.

Philip in her statement to the police said the intruder first entered the room of Saif and Kareena Kapoor-Khan's younger son Jeh and demanded ₹1 crore when confronted.

She rushed to pick the child up and was pushed away by the man, armed with a wooden stick and a long Hexa blade. Another nanny was also sleeping in the same room.

Hearing her scream, Khan and Kareena rushed out of their room. The intruder, who Philip said was between 35-40 years old, then attacked Khan with a knife. During the commotion, another house help also rushed out to raise an alarm. The intruder then ran away.

As police questioned guards and house helps and concern mounted, doctors said Saif Ali Khan was on a "100 per cent recovery path". It was a narrow, miraculous escape. A 2.5-inch piece of the blade was removed from his spine, doctors at the Lilavati Hospital said.

Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan has requested the media to give them space to heal as a family as they deal with the attack on her husband.

In a statement on her Instagram account, Kareena said the family was still trying to process the challenging day.

She expressed gratitude to their well-wishers and fans for their love and concern and requested the media and paparazzi to refrain from their "relentless speculation" over the incident.

"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," she wrote on the social media platform.

"While we appreciate the concern and support, the constant scrutiny and attention are not only overwhelming but also pose a significant risk to our safety. I kindly request that you respect our boundaries and give us the space we need to heal and cope as a family," Kareena added.

Mumbai police were tapping their network of informers to locate the accused and are probing the CCTV footage, officials said

In a major development in the Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's stabbing case, the Mumbai police have formed 20 teams to track the assailant who intruded into the actor's residence and attacked him yesterday morning (16 January).

According to PTI, the police were tapping their network of informers to locate the accused and are probing the CCTV footage, officials said.

Police further said that the teams are scouring CCTV footage that captured the suspect's escape after stabbing the actor. The camera footage shows a young man descending the building's stairs, wearing a brown collared T-shirt and a red scarf (possibly a 'gamcha').

As per the initial findings, police believe that the attacker may have changed clothes before fleeing the crime scene.

The suspect was also armed with a wooden stick and a long Hexa blade, the same weapon used to stab Khan and two others, the police added.

In addition to examining the CCTV footage, investigators have been questioning several people, including the building's security guard, house staff, and neighbours.

54-year-old Saif Ali Khan on Thursday received six stab injuries, including in his neck after an unknown assailant intruded into his house and attacked him.

The accused reportedly attempted a burglary before assaulting the actor and his household staff. The incident occurred in Khan's upscale apartment in Bandra's Satguru Sharan building.

The 'Sacred Games' actor is said to be out of danger following an emergency surgery at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital where he was taken after the attack outside his younger son Jeh's room around 2.30 am.

Besides Khan, who resides on the 12th floor, 56-year-old nurse Eliyama Philip and a domestic worker also sustained injuries during the incident.

The nurse, who was also the complainant in the case, reported that the intruder had earlier attempted to steal valuables from the actor's house before assaulting the members of the premises.