Saif Ali Khan attacked: ‘Assailant’ was prepared with change of clothes

The attack took place in the wee hours of January 16 at Saif Ali Khan’s home.

Police have detained a suspect in the Saif Ali Khan attack, on a train to Chhattisgarh during an alleged attempt to flee the city on Saturday. Mumbai Police had sent a photo of the accused, as well as his mobile tower location, to Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials in Durg, where he was apprehended. A Mumbai Police team took a flight to Raipur on Saturday evening to take custody of the suspect, identified as Akash Kailash Kanojiya, 31, a Colaba resident. He was caught travelling aboard the Jnaneshwari Express (12101) without a ticket.

Mediapersons wait outside Lilavati Hospital, where Saif Ali Khan is under treatment. Pic/Satej Shinde

The attack took place in the wee hours of January 16 at Saif Ali Khan’s home. The assailant stabbed the actor in six spots on his neck, spine, hand and wrist. Saif Ali Khan underwent surgery at Lilavati hospital, where doctors removed a portion of the knife that had broken off and was lodged in his spine. 

A police officer told mid-day, “It seems that the accused had a detailed plan and sufficient knowledge about entry and exit routes. He entered Saif’s building from the neighbouring building, climbing up the duct area before entering the house. The accused first attacked Saif’s house help and then stabbed Saif. The accused also demanded Rs 1 crore from the help. The accused then escaped by the same route.”

CCTV footage from Saif Ali Khan’s building shows the attacker in a black T-shirt at the time of the incident. CCTV footage from later showed him in a blue shirt after he had fled the scene

The police suspect the attack was pre-meditated, with CCTV footage showing the accused had also kept a change of clothes ready to evade the cops after the attack. “He was wearing a black T-shirt at the time of the incident and was later captured by CCTV cameras in Juhu wearing a blue shirt,” said the officer.

Meanwhile, the police are now investigating whether the crime was motivated by robbery at all, as Saif’s wife, actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, told the investigators that the accused had not touched any of the jewellery kept in the open in the house.

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