Days after a brutal knife attack in Mira Road near Mumbai, fresh revelations have emerged as the Anti-Terrorism Squad intensifies its probe into what is now being treated as a possible “lone wolf” terror act.
The incident took place in the early hours of April 27 in the Naya Nagar area, where the accused, Zaib Zubair Ansari (31), allegedly attacked two security guards, Subrata Sen and Rajkumar Mishra, with a knife. He was arrested within one-and-a-half hours and booked under charges including attempt to murder.
‘Recite Kalma’ before stabbing
Investigators are also examining claims that the attacker asked the victims to recite the Kalma before carrying out the assault, adding a disturbing communal and ideological dimension to the case.
This detail, coupled with subsequent findings, has raised serious concerns within security agencies about possible radical motivations behind the attack.
According to officials, one of the most significant leads in the case is the suspicion that Ansari intended to record a video or message claiming responsibility after the attack.
“Releasing a video or message is a known pattern among lone wolf attackers to establish identity and motive,” officials said, adding that it remains unclear whether the accused managed to record such content before his arrest.
The probe suggests that the accused did not flee but instead returned home deliberately, a move investigators believe was premeditated rather than impulsive.
Attempt to destroy evidence
Sources revealed that after the attack, Ansari washed the knife used in the crime, changed out of his blood-stained clothes, and wore black attire.
Investigators are examining whether the choice of black clothing has any symbolic or ideological linkage, noting that such imagery is often associated with extremist propaganda, including that of the ISIS.
Further raising suspicion, the accused allegedly formatted his mobile phone before arrest, possibly to erase digital evidence.
Police have recovered the knife and blood-stained clothes from his residence in Naya Nagar.
Background and ongoing investigation
The case is being closely monitored as central and state agencies work to piece together the motive, background, and any possible links.
Ansari, who had been living in India since 2020 despite having family members in the United States, is currently in custody as investigators examine his digital footprint, personal history, and possible ideological influences.
The Mira Road stabbing has triggered heightened vigilance among security agencies, particularly due to the pattern resembling lone-wolf attacks, often characterised by minimal external coordination but high ideological motivation.
Officials have not ruled out any angle and have indicated that further disclosures may emerge as forensic and digital analysis progresses.
