Mumbai: A key suspect in the brutal stabbing of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has been detained from a train in Chhattisgarh following a nationwide manhunt. The detention comes three days after the violent attack, which took place in the early hours of January 16 at Khan’s upscale Bandra West residence, leaving him critically injured.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Aakash Kailash Kannojia, was intercepted by Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel at Durg railway station after Mumbai Police provided a detailed alert, including a photograph and travel route. Officials confirmed that Kannojia was aboard the Mumbai-Howrah Jnaneswari Express and was seated in the general compartment without a valid ticket. He initially gave conflicting travel destinations before being taken into custody for further questioning. A Mumbai Police team is expected to reach Chhattisgarh to verify his identity and transport him back to the city for interrogation.
The chilling incident unfolded around 2 a.m. on January 16 when an armed intruder broke into Saif Ali Khan’s 11th-floor duplex apartment. According to the FIR, the attacker entered through the fire-exit staircase and confronted a domestic staff member in the bedroom of Khan’s younger son, Jeh. Demanding ₹1 crore, the assailant threatened the maid before Khan intervened. A violent scuffle ensued, during which Khan was stabbed six times, suffering serious injuries to his neck, back, and shoulder. The actor was rushed to Lilavati Hospital by his family and staff in an autorickshaw.
Doctors at Lilavati performed a five-hour emergency surgery to remove a 2.5-inch knife fragment lodged near his spine and repair leaking spinal fluid. Khan remains under medical observation but is reported to be out of danger. He is expected to be discharged on January 21.
CCTV footage from the building shows the attacker fleeing through the fire-exit staircase at 2:33 a.m. He was later spotted at Bandra and Dadar railway stations, wearing different clothes and carrying a red scarf and a distinctive backpack. Investigators believe he used a suburban train to escape the city. Posters with the suspect’s image have been distributed at police stations and public locations across Mumbai.
Before Kannojia’s detention, Mumbai Police had questioned a carpenter, Waris Ali Salmani, who had worked at the Khan-Kapoor household two days prior to the attack. Salmani was released after initial interrogation. The police have mobilized over 30 teams and are reviewing footage from multiple CCTV cameras in the hunt for the assailant.
Kareena Kapoor Khan, who was home during the attack, described the terrifying encounter in her statement to police. “The attacker was aggressive and stabbed Saif repeatedly. Our priority was to get him to the hospital,” she said. She confirmed that no valuables were taken during the incident. Kapoor sought refuge at her sister Karisma Kapoor’s house afterward, citing fear for her safety.
The attack has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders regarding security lapses in Mumbai’s posh residential areas. Maharashtra Minister of State for Home (Urban) Yogesh Kadam clarified that robbery appeared to be the primary motive, ruling out any underworld connections.
As the investigation progresses, Mumbai Police are exploring whether the attack was the work of a professional criminal or an individual with prior offenses. Meanwhile, the Khan family has requested privacy, urging the public and media to refrain from speculating about the actor’s health.
Actor Saif Ali Khan attack case: Picture of the suspect Akash Kanojia detained from Durg, Chhattisgarh in connection with actor Saif Ali Khan attack case
Information about this suspect was received from Assistant Police Inspector Juhu Police Station, Mumbai Police that a suspect… https://t.co/AG0B92zqmq pic.twitter.com/AA9HEU4Iaj
— ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2025