The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has launched an investigation into the attack on two security guards near Asmita Grand Mansion in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road on April 27. Officials said the case is being examined from the perspective of a possible “lone wolf” terror attack.
According to the ATS, the accused, identified as Jabar Zubair Ansari (31), allegedly approached the guards under the pretext of asking for directions before returning and questioning them about their religion. Eyewitness accounts suggest that he forced one of the guards to recite the Islamic Kalima and attacked both with a sharp-edged weapon when he failed to do so. The injured guards are currently hospitalised.
During a search of the accused’s residence following his arrest, investigators recovered handwritten notes in which he reportedly expressed a desire to join ISIS. Sources said the notes described the incident as a “first step” towards joining a terrorist organisation.
Preliminary findings indicate that Ansari is a science graduate who had lived in the United States for several years before returning to India. He was residing alone in Mira Road and was engaged in providing online chemistry coaching. Agencies believe that prolonged isolation may have contributed to his radicalisation, allegedly through online content.
Security agencies are now examining the digital footprint of his mobile phone and laptop to determine whether he had any direct links or communication with handlers outside India.
The investigation is ongoing.