Mumbai: Over 30 hours have passed, but the Mumbai police have yet to arrest the man who repeatedly stabbed actor Saif Ali Khan in his luxurious Bandra apartment. The city police have formed 20 teams to track down the intruder and are utilising their network of informers to locate him, according to officials.
Leading these teams is officer Daya Nayak, known as an encounter specialist, for gunning down 86 criminals till now during his tenure with the Mumbai Police.
Who is Daya Nayak?
- Joined the police force in 1995 and gained fame for his encounter operations and served with the Maharashtra Anti-Terror Squad (ATS).
- He rose to prominence in 1996 after killing two Chhota Rajan gangsters in self-defence while patrolling Juhu.
- In 1996, received information about two gangsters in Juhu. During an arrest attempt, the gangsters allegedly opened fire to which Nayak retaliated and killed both in self-defence, earning widespread attention.
- He was born in Karnataka to a financially struggling family and moved to Mumbai in 1979 and worked as a table cleaner in a hotel.
- The hotel owner funded his education, inspired by Nayak’s potential. His life story has influenced many Bollywood movies and action films.
- Nayak was posted in Juhu during his first year in the police force. He soon became a favourite among seniors for his bold encounter style.
- Nayak also came under the Anti-Corruption Bureau’s (ACB) radar in 2004 over alleged disproportionate assets. ACB raids revealed alleged ownership of luxury buses and involvement in gambling.
Saif Ali Khan stabbing
Actor Saif Ali Khan sustained six stabbing wounds including one close to his spine following a scuffle with an intruder who broke into his Bandra house around 2.30 am on Thursday with the intention of burglary and attacking him and his housemaid. The attacker initially sneaked into Saif’s younger son Jeh’s room but was spotted by one of the maids who raised alarm, prompting Saif to confront the suspect.
This led to a confrontation between the two during which the intruder stabbed the actor multiple times. Saif was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital at around 3 am where he underwent surgeries and is now out of danger and recovering.
The suspect fled from the spot after the attack and a hunt is on to nab him. CCTV footage showed him walking down the stairs of the fire escape while fleeing.
