Saif Ali Khan Stabbed in Mumbai, Encounter Specialist Daya Nayak Leads Investigation

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked at his Mumbai home early Thursday and suffered multiple stab wounds. The incident shocked the film industry and his fans. The 54-year-old actor underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai and is now out of danger. His wife, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and their two children were unharmed.

The Mumbai Police quickly arrived at Saif’s apartment in Bandra West to investigate. Among the officers was encounter specialist Daya Nayak, known for taking down over 80 Mumbai underworld gangsters during the 1990s.

Daya Nayak’s Story

Daya Nayak was born in Udupi, Karnataka, into a Konkani-speaking family. He was the youngest child of Badda and Radha Nayak. After completing Class 7 in a Kannada-medium school, he moved to Mumbai in 1979 to support his family.

In Mumbai, Nayak worked at a hotel while finishing his Class 12 education at a municipal school in Goregaon. He later graduated from CES College in Andheri.

His interest in joining the police began while working as a plumber’s apprentice and meeting narcotics officers. In 1995, his determination paid off when he became a sub-inspector at the Juhu police station, a time when Mumbai’s underworld was thriving.

Nayak gained fame in December 1996 when he shot and killed two Chhota Rajan gangsters in Juhu who had fired at him. This incident made him well-known in police circles.

Controversies

Despite his achievements, Nayak faced several controversies. In 2004, a court under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) asked the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate him for allegedly having wealth beyond his known income.

The ACB found Nayak owned fleets of luxury buses through a travel agency in Mumbai and another business in Karnataka. He was arrested but later reinstated in 2012 as the additional commissioner of police for the West control room.