Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Police in the Indian city of Mumbai have arrested a man in connection with last week’s knife attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.
Khan, one of India’s biggest stars, was stabbed an intruder in his house, in an attack that shocked the country. He is recovering after the operation.
On Sunday, police said they had arrested the main suspect, Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, adding that he was a Bangladeshi national who was staying illegally in India.
Mr Shehzad’s lawyer has denied the allegations and said he is not from Bangladesh.
Police say they arrested Mr. Shehzad in a district of Thane, on the outskirts of Mumbai.
Initial evidence suggests that he came to the city about six months ago and worked at a real estate agency using a fake name and ID, Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam told a press conference.
Police suspect that Mr. Shehzad entered Khan’s home with the intention of stealing it, Gedam said.
On Sunday, a Mumbai court sent Mr. Shehzad to five days of police custody.
His lawyer, Sandeep Shikhane, he told reporters that they were “scapegoating” his client.
“There is no documentary evidence to suggest that he is a Bangladeshi citizen,” he said.
The attack on Khan has made national headlines and has also raised questions about safety and security in Mumbai, one of India’s most populous cities and its financial capital.
Khan was stabbed six times and suffered multiple injuries, including one to the back of the neck, in the attack at his home in an upmarket suburb.
Eliyama Philip, a nurse who works at Khan’s home, told police last week that she first noticed a man’s shadow near the bathroom door late at night when she was in the child’s room with the nanny.
Ms Philip said a man appeared with a wooden object in one hand and a long blade in the other and warned them not to make any noise. He asked for 10 million rupees ($115,477; £94,511), he said.
A fight ensued, in which Mrs. Philip was injured. Hearing the commotion, Khan and his wife ran into the room and the assailant hit the actor with a blade before fleeing, he said.
On Friday, investigators reported arrested – and later release – at least five other people for questioning in connection with the investigation.
Many men were arrested because they looked like the attacker, and he was caught on CCTV leaving the building.
Additional reporting by Alpesh Karkare for BBC Marathi
