Pahalgam reminder? US returnee stabs Mumbai guards after they failed to recite 'Kalma'
The accused has been identified as Zaib Zuber Ansari. The case has been handed to the state Anti-Terrorism Squad of the Mumbai Police, with investigators treating it as a suspected religiously motivated attack.
by Zee Media Bureau · Zee NewsA 31-year-old man, identified as Zaib Zuber Ansari, has been arrested in Mumbai after allegedly stabbing two security guards in the early hours of Monday, having first asked them their religion and whether they could recite the Islamic declaration of faith. The case has since been handed to the state Anti-Terrorism Squad, with investigators treating it as a suspected religiously motivated attack.
According to NDTV reports, the incident took place at around 4 am near an under-construction building behind Wockhardt Hospital in Naya Nagar. The two guards, Rajkumar Mishra and Subroto Sen, were on duty when the accused confronted them. He asked their names and religion, then asked whether they could recite the Kalima, the foundational declaration of faith in Islam. When the guards said they could not, Ansari allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked them.
Both men sustained serious injuries. Mishra managed to make his way to Wockhardt Hospital on his own. Sen was unable to do so and was found bleeding and hiding in the guards' booth by a passerby, Nayab Sheikh, a resident of the adjacent building who was returning home from work. Sheikh took Sen first to the police station and then to the hospital. Mishra remains in critical condition, while Sen is also receiving treatment.
Arrest and investigation
Ansari was arrested within 90 minutes of the attack after police tracked him down using CCTV footage from the surrounding area. He was taken to Naya Nagar Police Station, where a case was registered against him, including charges of attempted murder and promoting enmity between religious groups. He was subsequently produced before a court in Thane and remanded to police custody until 4 May.
As per the reports, investigators have seized his mobile phone and electronic devices and are examining their contents closely. Among the material recovered, sources said words including "ISIS", "lone wolf", "jihad" and "Gaza" were found scribbled in handwritten notes. Security agencies have also recovered what they describe as incriminating documents and videos, and are working to determine whether Ansari was acting alone or as part of a wider network.
Authorities believe he was radicalised through extremist content consumed online, and his digital activity has become a central focus of the investigation.
Background of the accused
Ansari lived alone in rented accommodation in the Mira Road area. His landlord had reportedly asked him to vacate the premises by 5 May. According to reports, he studied in the United States until 2019, then returned to India, and his parents continue to reside there. He had been unable to find stable employment in the US and returned without a settled livelihood.
Back in India, he taught Chemistry and Mathematics at a coaching centre until approximately three to four months before the attack, after which he stopped. He had subsequently been earning money by taking online chemistry classes.
The state Anti-Terrorism Squad is leading the investigation alongside local police. Authorities have urged the public not to circulate rumours about the incident, warning that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found spreading misinformation.
Also Read: Pahalgam’s reckoning: How India crushed terror, called Pakistan’s bluff
The Pahalgam reminder
The incident mirrors the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, which took place on April 22, where people were asked to recite Kamla, and when they failed to do so, they were shot dead. Social media is abuzz after this Mumbai incident, with its striking similarity to the 2025 Baisaran Valley attack in Pahalgam.
This year, the nation marked the first anniversary of this deadly attack in which 26 people lost their lives