A woman came running shouting “roko, roko, roko (stop, stop, stop)”, said the auto driver, Bhajan Singh Rana, who took Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan to hospital early on Thursday.
The actor, 54, was repeatedly stabbed in an apparent burglary at his home in Mumbai, his public relations team said.
“I was going via Linkin Road. The building where he (Saif Ali Khan) lives is named Satguru Niwas. A woman came running shouting rickshaw, rickshaw, rickshaw, roko, roko, roko (stop, stop, stop). She then asked to stop the auto near the building gate,” Mr Rana told NDTV.
The auto driver did not know that the injured man he was taking to the hospital was Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.
“I did not know he was Saif Ali Khan. It was an emergency. Even I was nervous about who is this passenger that is getting into my auto. I was worried that I might get into trouble. And that is why I was nervous,” said Mr Rana.
“He (Saif) was wearing a white shirt stained with blood. A child sat with him, a young man also sat with him,” said the auto driver, narrating the sequence of events.
The driver said that upon asking whether he should drive to Holy Family or Lilavati Hospital, the actor said, “Take me to Lilavati”.
Upon reaching the hospital, a guard was called and the hospital staff assembled, said the auto driver, adding that it was then the passenger introduced himself:” I am Saif Ali Khan”.
The auto driver realised then that the passenger in his auto was Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.
The actor was “out of danger” following an emergency surgery, said doctors at the Lilavati Hospital where he was rushed following the incident that took place at his house.
Asked if Kareena Kapoor, Saif’s wife, was present at the time the actor was rushed to the hospital, the auto driver said, “I did not notice.”
Mr Khan is the son of former Indian cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, and Bollywood actor Sharmila Tagore.
His acting credits include the 2001 hit Dil Chahta Hai, and the popular Netflix crime series Sacred Games.