PETRA Group chairman, Datuk Dr Vinod Sekhar was recently assaulted and robbed while visiting his daughter in Oxford, United Kingdom.
Relating his last Saturday's ordeal on a Facebook posting , he said he had just driven home to his daughter's apartment near Battersea Power Station after a day out in Oxford.
"It had been one of those rare English days - sunny, warm, full of laughter and music. London and the UK generally is our family's second home.
"But as I parked and stepped out of the car, two men suddenly appeared. They rushed at me, smothered me, hit me a few times on the chest and thighs, and tore the watch off my wrist," he said.
Sekhar said he tried to hold on but couldn’t.
"My post-transplant medication and health simply didn’t allow it. And then, like the lioness she’s always been, my wife jumped in - swinging her bag, shouting at them, fearless and protective," he said.
The muggers fled on electric Lime bikes, and billionaire philanthropist was left bruised, bleeding lightly, but relatively unscathed.
"Within minutes, the London Metropolitan police arrived - calm, efficient, and kind. One officer said something that stayed with me: “You were lucky. If you’d held on, they would have stabbed you.”
"I wasn’t sure I wanted to share this. It’s still fresh. But I realise it’s important. Because we hear these stories and always think they happen to someone else,".
Following the incident, Sekhar also attached a message with his post which read:
"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,".
At that moment, he recounted that none of these things mattered.
"Only the people around me did. My wife’s courage. My daughter’s composure. The kindness of strangers.
We often talk about equality in terms of privilege or race. But here’s a truth few like to admit - in the eyes of crime, we are all equal opportunity targets,".
And he reflected on the incident, Sekhar said he was deeply grateful for the city he calls 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.
"Be vigilant. Be safe. And be thankful - every single day - for the things that can’t be stolen," he added. - October 12, 2025
