Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan recently met Bhajan Singh Rana, the auto-rickshaw driver who played a crucial role in rushing him to the hospital after he sustained serious injuries during a knife attack at his home in Mumbai. The meeting took place on Tuesday at the Lilavati Hospital, shortly before Khan was discharged. Expressing his gratitude, the actor thanked Rana for his timely help, offered him financial assistance, and assured him of support in the future.
The incident occurred in the early hours of January 16, when an intruder broke into Khan’s 12th-floor apartment in Bandra, an upscale locality in Mumbai. The assailant, identified as Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national who had illegally entered India and adopted the alias Vijay Das, repeatedly stabbed the 54-year-old actor with a knife. Khan suffered multiple injuries and underwent emergency surgery at the Lilavati Hospital. After receiving treatment, he returned home on Tuesday.
Recounting his interaction with the actor, Rana shared that Khan expressed deep appreciation for his assistance. “He called me to the hospital to thank me for helping him. He praised my efforts and gave me blessings from him and his family,” Rana told PTI. During their meeting, Khan also introduced the driver to his mother, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, and Rana touched her feet as a mark of respect. Khan gifted Rana a monetary token of appreciation and promised to be there for him whenever needed.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai police apprehended Shehzad on Sunday in Thane, a neighboring city. Initial investigations revealed that the accused had scaled the compound wall of Khan’s building and entered through the main entrance after finding the security guards asleep. Police believe the intruder intended to commit theft before the attack escalated.