A 31-year-old knife-wielding man allegedly attacked and seriously injured two security personnel in Maharashtra’s Thane district in the early hours of Monday, in what police suspect may be a religiously motivated attack, PTI reported.
The accused, identified as Zaib Zubair Ansari, who had reportedly returned to India from the US in 2019, was arrested within 90 minutes of the incident. After the attack in Mumbai’s Mira Road area, the state’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) took over the investigation from the local police.
While the exact motive remains unclear, officials have hinted that there may be a religious angle to the case. Security agencies also reportedly found suspicious documents and videos on his mobile phone and are now investigating whether he was planning a possible “lone wolf” attack.
A “lone wolf attack” means an act of terrorism committed by an individual acting independently, without direct support or encouragement from any organization.
The ATS team interrogated Ansari at Mira Road and also conducted a search operation at his residence. The ATS recovered a note suggesting “lone wolf” attacks and the Islamic State, a laptop, including three copies of the Quran, PTI reported, citing an official.
According to an official statement by the Commissioner of Police, Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar (MBVV), the incident took place around 4 am in an under-construction building behind Wockhardt Hospital under the jurisdiction of Nayanagar Police Station.
The two victims, Rajkumar Mishra and Subroto Ramesh Sen, were allegedly attacked with a knife by Zaib Zubair Ansari. After the attack, cops quickly reached the spot and rushed Mishra to Wockhardt Hospital for treatment.
Officials said the incident started when Ansari allegedly confronted Mishra over an issue, leading to an argument. During the argument, Ansari allegedly first stabbed Mishra and then attacked Sen, who was nearby.
What happened?
Eyewitnesses informed the police that the accused first approached security to ask for directions and later returned to ask them about their religion. He allegedly asked one of the guards to recite “Kalma” (Islamic verses) and when the guard was unable to do so, he attacked them with a sharp-edged weapon, NDTV reported.
One of the guards, Subroto Sen, was posted on the main road and was guarding a building under construction when the accused approached him around 3 am and started inquiring about the location of a nearby mosque.
Read also | Inherited property of a Hindu woman goes to heirs of father, not husband: Andhra HC
During the conversation, the man suddenly asked Sen, “Are you a Hindu?” After Sen answered yes, the man left but stayed nearby.
When Sen went to a nearby Iranian tea stall for tea around 4:00 a.m., he noticed the same man again. Later, after he returned to his seat around 4:30 am, the accused approached him once more, grabbed his hand and asked, “You are a Hindu, aren’t you?” before allegedly attacking him with a knife, an NDTV report noted.
Ansari has come under the scrutiny of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) due to his background, prompting the agency to take over the investigation, officials said. Mishra remains in critical condition while Sen is also undergoing treatment, the official added.
Read also | After bindi, tilak row, Lenskart relaxes dress code allowing religious symbols
The police found some incriminating material associated with the accused, prompting the ATS to step in and investigate the case further, PTI reported citing sources.
Originally from the Kurla area of Mumbai, Ansari lived alone in Nayanagar, Mira Road. He went to the United States for his studies and returned to India, sources added.
Read also | From terror to pollution: Pakistan is the worst globally on both fronts
Meanwhile, the MBVV police said in a statement that the accused was identified through CCTV footage from the crime scene and was arrested within one and a half hours of the incident. A case has been registered at the Nayanagar police station under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to attempted murder.
The report added that in view of the seriousness and wider implications of the incident, the investigation has been handed over to the ATS. The probe is currently being overseen by the Special Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma.
