Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan’s dismissive statement, reportedly calling the knife attack on her husband Saif Ali Khan a “parivaar issue,” has rightly drawn criticism. Her remarks trivialize an incident that raises significant questions about public safety, police efficacy, and the alarming state of governance in Mumbai. The sequence of events reads like a Bollywood thriller but exposes glaring lapses. Saif Ali Khan, injured with knife wounds, reportedly descended from his high-rise apartment, hailed an auto, and reached the upscale Leelavati Hospital. The hospital’s bizarre portrayal of the actor as a “real hero” walking in with blood-soaked clothes is tone-deaf and undermines professional medical ethics. Meanwhile, Kareena’s nonchalance has only compounded the skepticism surrounding this murky episode. However, the onus of accountability lies squarely on the Mumbai Police. Declaring the incident a robbery-turned-assault, the police failed to explain how the alleged attacker infiltrated and escaped from a highly secured high-rise. The supposed timeline raises eyebrows, especially when TV reporters, not investigators, found the auto driver who ferried the injured actor. This driver described Saif as being accompanied by an eight-year-old and a middle-aged individual—a detail the police astonishingly overlooked.
Mumbai’s police force, once revered globally, has been in a downward spiral. High-profile incidents like the brutal lynching of sadhus, the fabricated charges against Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami, and the blackmail attempt involving Mukesh Ambani have exposed systemic rot. While some officers were suspended or removed following these debacles, the BJP-led coalition government in Maharashtra, comprising the Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena, has failed to repair the damage. This latest attack on Saif Ali Khan further tarnishes the force’s credibility. The handling of the case—arresting one suspect, releasing him, and then apprehending another while branding him a Bangladeshi—has stoked political controversy. The opposition has pounced on this narrative, accusing the government of failing to curb illegal migration and allowing Mumbai, India’s financial capital, to become increasingly unsafe.
Blaming illegal Bangladeshi migrants, however, feels like a convenient diversion from the government’s accountability. If such infiltration exists, it begs the question: why hasn’t the Centre, led by the BJP, effectively curbed it? The focus must shift from scapegoating to addressing the systemic issues that allow such security breaches. The decision to replace the investigating officer mid-case raises even more questions. Is this an admission of incompetence, or a tactic to deflect scrutiny? Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his government owe the public clear answers. Half-hearted measures and finger-pointing will not restore Mumbai’s lost confidence in its police force. Moreover, how can a person reportedly stabbed six times recover quickly enough to walk out of the hospital? Shouldn’t the doctors who treated him also provide explanations to clarify these anomalies? Ultimately, the knife attack on Saif Ali Khan is more than a celebrity story—it’s a damning indictment of a failing system. From baffling police procedures to political gamesmanship, it underscores the urgent need for accountability and reform. Until these fundamental issues are addressed, Mumbai will continue to grapple with a security crisis that no amount of spin can obscure.