Star Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed multiple times at his home in an affluent Mumbai neighborhood on Thursday, Indian police said.
Mr Khan, a prolific actor from a well-known celebrity family, was injured by an assailant who managed to escape before dawn in his Bandra neighborhood, police said. He was taken to the hospital, and doctors said that he has recovered and is in a stable condition.
Mumbai Police Deputy Commissioner Dixit Gedam said police are investigating the attack and believe the stabbing was part of a robbery attempt. According to him, the police are looking for an identified suspect. “We know the intruder used a fire escape to get into the house,” Mr Gedam said.
According to Dr. Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital, where he was treated, Mr. Khan suffered a major injury to his spinal cord as well as deep wounds to his arm and neck. He underwent surgery to remove the blade and repair the leaking spinal fluid.
Mr. Khan, 54, has starred in more than 70 films in his 30-year career, ranging from fun, romantic heroes to dark, angry villains. His mother, Sharmila Tagore, was a famous actress, and his father, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, was a royal descendant and captain of the Indian cricket team. Mr Khan is also married to another prominent actor Kareena Kapoor Khan and his daughter Sara Ali Khan is also an actress.
The actor's representatives released a statement asking fans and the news media to be patient while police investigate.
As news of the stabbing spread, opposition politicians in Maharashtra, the state of which Mumbai is the capital, were quick to criticize the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for what they said was a worsening law enforcement situation.
“If celebrities aren't safe, who is in Mumbai?” Priyanka Chaturvedi, Member of Parliament, Maharashtra he wrote on social media.
Actor and filmmaker Pooja Bhat wrote a post calling for more police presence in the neighborhood on social media“The queen of the city and especially the suburbs has never felt so dangerous before.”
Last July, two gunmen opened fire outside star actor Salman Khan's house in Bandra. Police arrested two people in that shootout and said the suspects were linked to jailed gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi.
In October, former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was shot by three gunmen near the office of his son, also a politician, in Bandra. Mr. Siddig had close connections with Bollywood stars.