Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat punched and tear gassed in Paris

Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat has been punched and sprayed with tear gas by three masked attackers in an upmarket part of Paris.

The 40-year-old and her partner told police they were ambushed in the lobby of the apartment building where they were staying on the night of 11 November.

She was then punched in the face and sprayed with tear gas and, along with her partner, was reported to have suffered minor injuries.

The attackers tried to steal Sherawat's handbag but ended up fleeing empty-handed.

A source close to the investigation told AFP news agency: "We cannot understand why the attackers fled without taking anything."

Sherawat has starred in a number of films, including the 2004 hit Murder and Jackie Chan's 2005 movie The Myth.

Her most recent film is Time Raiders, a Chinese movie in which she plays the Snake Empress.

Sherawat, whose real name is Reema Lambha, is also an advocate for women's rights in her native India.

The attack comes weeks after Kim Kardashian was robbed by a masked gang in the same city.

Jewellery worth about $10m (£8m) was stolen from the US reality TV star.