Police in Maharashtra have arrested a 31-year-old man within 90 minutes of an alleged knife attack on two security guards at an under-construction site in Mira Road near Mumbai, with investigators now examining a possible “lone wolf” angle.
The accused, Zaib Zubair Ansari, a Mumbai native who returned from the United States in 2019, allegedly attacked guards Rajkumar Mishra and Subroto Ramesh Sen around 4 am on Monday. The incident took place at a site behind Wockhardt Hospital.
Both victims were rushed to hospital. Mishra is reported to be in critical condition, while Sen is undergoing treatment.
According to police, the assault began after Ansari allegedly confronted Mishra over an unspecified issue. When Mishra resisted, an argument broke out, during which Ansari stabbed him. He then turned on Sen, who was nearby.
Using CCTV footage, officers identified and apprehended Ansari within 90 minutes. A case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including attempt to murder.
Given the nature of the attack and materials recovered from the accused’s phone — including videos and documents considered incriminating — the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has taken over the investigation. Authorities are probing whether Ansari may have been radicalised and if he was planning a possible lone-actor attack.
Ansari, originally from Kurla, was living alone in Nayanagar. ATS teams have since questioned him and conducted searches at his residence, with the probe now under the supervision of senior state police officials.
