‘Are you a Hindu?': Mumbai man stabs 2 guards for not reciting ‘Kalma', note referring to ‘Lone Wolf’ attacks recovered

A 31-year-old man armed with a knife allegedly attacked and seriously injured two security guards in Maharashtra’s Thane district during the early hours of Monday in what police suspect could be a religiously motivated attack, according to PTI.

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. Following the attack in Mumbai’s Mira Road area, the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) took over the investigation from the local police.

While the exact motive remains unclear, officials have indicated that the case may have a religious angle. Security agencies have 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 a terrorist act carried out by a single individual acting independently, without direct support or encouragement from any organisation.

An ATS team interrogated Ansari in Mira Road and also carried out a search operation at his residence. The ATS recovered a note indicating to “lone wolf” attacks and the Islamic State, a laptop, including three copies of the Quran, reported PTI citing an official.

According to an official statement from the Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar (MBVV) Police Commissionerate, the incident took place around 4 am at 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 assault, police personnel quickly reached the scene and rushed Mishra to Wockhardt Hospital for treatment.

Officials said the incident began when Ansari allegedly confronted Mishra over an issue, leading to an argument. During the altercation, Ansari allegedly stabbed Mishra first and then attacked Sen, who was nearby.

One of the guards, Subroto Sen, was stationed on the main roadside, guarding an under-construction building, when the accused approached him around 3:00 am and began asking about the location of a nearby mosque.

During the conversation, the man suddenly asked Sen, “Are you a Hindu?” After Sen replied yes, the man walked away but continued to stay nearby.

Around 4:00 am, when Sen went to a nearby Iranian tea stall for tea, he noticed the same man again. Later, after returning to his post at 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, the NDTV report noted.

Ansari came under the Anti-Terrorism Squad’s (ATS) scrutiny due to his background, prompting the agency to take over the investigation, according to officials. Mishra remains in critical condition, while Sen is also undergoing treatment, the official added.

The police recovered some incriminating material linked to the accused, which led the ATS to step in and probe the case further, reported PTI citing sources.

Ansari, originally from Mumbai’s Kurla area, was living alone in Nayanagar, Mira Road. He had gone to the United States for studies and returned to India, sources added.

Meanwhile, the MBVV Police said in its release 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 was registered at Nayanagar Police Station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to attempt to murder.

The release added that, considering the seriousness and wider implications of the incident, the investigation was handed over to the ATS. The probe is currently being supervised by Special Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma.