DHAKA: Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat was assaulted by masked attackers last week, the office of the Paris prosecutor told CNN, just six weeks after reality TV star Kim Kardashian West was tied up and robbed in the French capital.

Mallika Sherawat, 40, and her French boyfriend, Cyrille Auxenfans, were accosted in the hallway of his apartment building by three masked men when they returned to the home Friday evening.

According to a friend of Sherawat, who spoke to CNN but did not wish to be named, she was left shaken but not seriously hurt. The attack took place on rue de la Faisanderie, an upscale neighborhood, where Auxenfans, a businessman, lives.

“She and her boyfriend got out of their car and they were entering the building but the doors took time to shut and had not shut when three masked men attacked them,” said the friend.

“They sprayed them with tear gas and pushed her to the ground and started hitting her boyfriend. One of them tried to grab her bag, but she pushed them away and started yelling and screaming. After a bit of struggle they ran away.”

The men fled after the attack, and the motive is unknown, according to the 16th arrondissement area police, who are investigating the incident.

Sherawat, whose real name is Reema Lamba, is well-known in her native India for her appearances in films such as “Welcome”, a Hindi-language comedy, and “Aap Kaa Surroor”, a romantic thriller. She recently starred in “Time Raiders”, a Chinese action-adventure film.

She has a strong presence on social media, but has not posted any comments about the incident on Friday.

BDST: 1749 HRS, NOV 18, 2016
AP/BD