Malaysian businessman Vinod Sekhar was attacked last week in London by two unidentified miscreants. The chairman and chief executive of Petra Group suffered minor injuries in the attack, but fortunately emerged “relatively unscathed”.
Indian-origin Malaysian businessman Vinod Sekhar was attacked by two men in London.
Sekhar posted about the scary incident on Facebook, revealing that his wife jumped in to save him and fought off the attackers. He also compared the streets of London with the safety and security of Kuala Lumpur, where he is based.
The attack in London
In his Facebook post, the chairman of Petra Group revealed that he was attacked by two people outside his daughter Tara’s apartment in London. The family had returned to the apartment — located near Battersea Power Station — after a day spent at Oxford.
“But as I parked and stepped out of the car, two men suddenly appeared,” Sekhar said.
The men started attacking the Indian-origin Malaysian businessman and even managed to tear his watch off his wrist during the assault. He suffered minor bruising and bleeding in the attack.
“They rushed at me, smothered me, hit me a few times on the chest and thighs, and tore the watch off my wrist. I tried to hold on but couldn’t — my post transplant medication and health simply didn’t allow it,” wrote Sekhar, who had undergone a heart transplant in India last year.
Wife fights off attackers
Sekhar was accompanied by his wife, Winy Yeap, who jumped in to save him. According to the businessman, she swung her bag and shouted at the attackers, who — possibly deterred by this interruption — jumped on their bikes and drove off.
“And then, like the lioness she’s always been, my wife jumped in — swinging her bag, shouting at them, fearless and protective,” Sekhar revealed. “In that moment, the muggers fled on electric Lime bikes. I was bruised, bleeding lightly (thanks to the blood thinners it looked worse than it was), but relatively unscathed.”
When the London Metropolitan police arrived minutes later, one cop told Sekhar that he was a lucky man, because the attackers would have stabbed him if he had held on.
London vs Kuala Lumpur
He ended his post with a reflection on the safety of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
“And as I reflect on it all, I am deeply grateful for the city I call home — Kuala Lumpur. For all our noise, our chaos, and our politics, it remains one of the safest, warmest, most vibrant cities in the world. A place where kindness still outweighs cruelty, and where, despite our imperfections, we remain a nation of extraordinary people,” he said.
Sekhar, a recipient of the Global Indian Award, also shared a word of advice for all tourists. He advised them not to wear expensive accessories that draw attention, and – if under attack — to let go of their valuables.
“When you travel — to London or anywhere — be careful. Don’t wear expensive watches, carry flashy bags, or assume the streets are as safe as they look. And if something like this happens to you, let it go. A watch, a wallet, a phone — these are replaceable. Your life, your loved ones, your friends are not,” he wrote on Facebook.
(Also read: India’s rich feel safer walking in Delhi amid rising thefts in London: Entrepreneur)