Reuters
Khan underwent surgery and doctors say he is now out of danger
Police in the Indian city of Mumbai have arrested a man in connection with the stabbing attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, according to media reports.
Khan was stabbed during a fight at his residence with an unidentified man Thursday morning. The actor is recovering after surgery.
Police have seized CCTV footage from the actor’s residence in the posh Bandra area and initial reports suggest the attack may have been planned as a robbery.
It is unclear whether the arrested man was the intruder.
The BBC has accessed a statement made to police by a nurse who works at Khan’s home, which provides some details of the events that took place on the night of the incident.
Eliyama Philip, who cares for Khan’s son, said she first noticed the shadow of a man near the bathroom door late at night when she was in the child’s room with the nanny.
Ms Philip said a man appeared holding a wooden object in one hand and a long blade in the other and warned them not to make any noise. He demanded 10 million rupees ($115,477; £94,511), she said.
Police released surveillance video of the suspect fleeing the apartment.
A fight soon broke out, during which Ms Philip was injured. Meanwhile, the nanny runs out of the room.
According to the nurse’s statement, Khan and his wife, actress Kareena Kapoor, rushed into the room after hearing the commotion. She said the attacker hit Khan with a blade when he confronted him and then fled the house.
Khan suffered several injuries, including one to his neck, during the attack.
Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital, where Khan is being treated, said that when the actor arrived, he was bleeding from his spine with an embedded knife fragment. The fragment was surgically removed and fluid leakage was checked. Doctors said prompt treatment avoided serious spinal damage.
Dr. Dange said Friday that Khan was “better now.”
“We got him walking, and he did well. Given his parameters, his injuries and all the other injuries, he can be safely transferred out of the intensive care unit. He needs to take several precautions. He must rest and his movements have been restricted for a week,” he said.
Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gadam said the weapon used in the attack had not been recovered and they had lodged a complaint based on the nurse’s statement.
“The accused used the emergency ladder to gain entry,” he said. “The investigation continues to determine how the door to the house was opened or how the intruder gained access.”
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Khan lives with his family in this apartment located in an upscale area of Mumbai.
Khan, 54, is also a producer and has appeared in several films and TV shows over the years. He is known for his quick wit and comedic timing.
His portrayal of the antagonist in 2006’s critically acclaimed Omkara was widely praised. He has won numerous awards, including the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor, in 2010.
Khan is the son of former Indian cricket captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and actor Sharmila Tagore.
