By PETER ALLEN IN PARIS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 09:49 GMT, 17 November 2016 | UPDATED: 12:17 GMT, 17 November 2016
Bollywood beauty and international model Mallika Sherawat has been tear gassed and beaten up by three masked intruders in her own Paris apartment block, police revealed today.
The horrific attack on the 40-year-old Indian sex symbol comes just a month after reality TV star Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in a neighbouring flat.
It was last Friday night when Ms Sherawat and French businessman lover Cyrille Auxenfans, 45, arrived at her residential building in the upmarket 16th arrondissement of Paris at around 9.30pm.
Actress Mallika Sherawat (left) was attacked outside her apartment in Paris, at an apartment neighbouring the scene where Kim Kardashian (right) was robbed at gunpoint
The actress, pictured here with US President Barack Obama in Los Angeles in 2011, was attacked in her own Paris apartment block
The attack happened close to the scene of the gunpoint robbery of reality TV star Kim Kardashian on October 3
Le Parisien newspaper today describes how the criminals wore scarves across their faces and without saying a word, sprayed their victims with tear gas before punching them.'
The attackers then ran away, leaving a shocked Ms Sherawat and her friend to call the emergency services.
A criminal investigation has been launched, with detectives working on the theory that the assailants were attempting a robbery.
Ms Sherawat was with French businessman lover Cyrille Auxenfans, 45, when they were attacked in the residential building in the upmarket 16th arrondissement of Paris
Mr Auxenfans, who specialises in real estate, owns the flat in the building where the crime happened.
Mr Auxenfans is a frequent visitor to Mumbai - the capital of the Bollywood film industry - where the couple are often seen out on the town together.
Officials said both suffered minor injuries, and investigators were trying to uncover the motive for the attack after it emerged that no items were stolen.
Ms Sherawat, pictured here in St Tropez, is one of India's biggest stars. She was sprayed with tear gas in the horrifying attack, which police believe was a robbery attempt
A police spokesman added: 'A full investigation to find the assailants is underway.'
Ms Sherawat has a huge following in India, where she has starred in more than 20 movies, and also appeared in the hit US television remake of Hawaii Five-0.
As well as a being a showbusiness star, Ms Sherawat is an outspoken feminist who frequently complains about attacks on women in her own country.
While promoting her film Bachelorette India' two years ago, she called India regressive' compared to countries such as the USA.