Bollywood star’s stabbing by suspected illegal Bangladeshi migrant sparks immigration blame game

Saif Ali Khan’s stabbing has sparked political blame, with the ruling BJP accusing the AAP of illegal immigration and the AAP criticising the government’s border security

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Border Security Force personnel inspect a truck carrying supplies to Bangladesh at the India-Bangladesh border in Fulbari. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:26pm, 24 Jan 2025Updated: 11:31pm, 24 Jan 2025

Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan’s stabbing by a suspected Bangladeshi illegal immigrant has reignited bitter political rows over border security, with analysts warning of fresh diplomatic strains and a rise in unauthorised crossings.

Police Commissioner Dixit Gedam said the suspect, arrested on the outskirts of Mumbai, had been using the name Vijay Das but was believed to be Mohammad Shariful Islam Shahzad, a Bangladeshi who arrived five or six months ago to work for a housekeeping agency.

Khan, one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars, was stabbed six times by the intruder while attempting to stop a burglary at his home in Mumbai on January 16. The attack resulted in severe injuries to his spine, neck and hands. Fortunately, he has since been discharged from hospital.

The stabbing incident has sparked intense debate on immigration in India, echoing the situation in the United States, where President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico.

“We are suffering illegal migration in this country of millions. If we go to count the number … mind-boggling. Illegal migration has to be dealt with, but it developed … without even a token of resistance. It’s a problem we will have to handle because it has taken the shape of unmanageable dimensions,” India’s Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar told a meeting of students in Raipur on Wednesday.

Such concerns have grown following the ousting of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August after a student-led uprising. The unrest has led to political instability and civilian unrest amid economic worries such as high inflation that Indian officials say is driving illegal immigration.