LONDON, UK — Datuk Dr. Vinod Sekhar, a Malaysian business entrepreneur and chairman of the Petra Group, was attacked and robbed on the street in London last week by two people on electric bikes. The Indian-born philanthropist, who is recovering from a heart transplant, was hurt in the attack near Battersea Power Station, but he says that his wife, Datin Dr. Winy Yeap, was so strong that she scared off the burglars.
Attacked After a Day Trip
The event happened right outside his daughter Tara’s apartment, not long after the family got back from a day excursion to Oxford. Sekhar wrote about the scary experience on his Facebook page, describing how the incident happened as he got out of his car.
Sekhar writes, “But as I parked and got out of the car, two men suddenly showed up.”
The two men ran up to him right away, hit him over and again, and tried to take his valuable wristwatch off his arm. Sekhar tried to fight back, but his recent medical history made it harder. “They ran at me, hit me a few times on the chest and thighs, and ripped the watch off my wrist.” He said, “I tried to hold on, but I couldn’t. My post-transplant medication and health just wouldn’t let me.”
The businessman had some bruises and bleeding on the surface, which got worse because he took blood thinners after having a heart transplant in India last year.
A Wife’s Brave Action
Sekhar’s wife, Winy Yeap, got into the fight without thinking about it. That was the turning point. Sekhar said with great pride, “And then, like the lioness she’s always been, my wife jumped in, swinging her bag and shouting at them, fearless and protective.”
The muggers quickly gave up and ran away on electric Lime bikes when she fiercely and unexpectedly defended herself. Sekhar was “bruised, bleeding lightly… but relatively unscathed.”
When the London Metropolitan Police got there a few minutes later, one officer gave a very serious warning that showed how bad the situation was. The cop is said to have informed Sekhar he was “lucky” because the attackers “would have stabbed you” if he had kept holding onto his watch.
Comparing cities and giving each other advice
The scary event made the winner of the Global Indian Award think about how much safer he felt in his temporary location than he did at home in Kuala Lumpur.
Sekhar said he was “deeply grateful” for the Malaysian capital and called it “one of the safest, warmest, and most vibrant cities in the world.” He compared it to London and said that even with Kuala Lumpur’s “noise, our chaos, and our politics,” it is still “a place where kindness still outweighs cruelty.”
The business owner also used the forum to give all travelers a very important piece of advice:
Be careful: “Don’t wear expensive watches, carry flashy bags, or think the streets are as safe as they look.”
“Life comes first. If something like this happens to you, let it go.” A wallet, a phone, and a watch can all be replaced. Your life, your loved ones, and your friends are not.
Sekhar’s post, which has been shared by many people, tells the story of how he survived and serves as a strong reminder that personal safety is more important than financial things, especially when danger comes out of nowhere.