Mumbai Stabbing Accused’s Marriage Ended Recently, Got Money From US-Based Father For Expenses

Probe so far has also revealed that accused Zaib Zubair Ansari had formatted his mobile phone prior to or around the time of the incident due to which data was deleted

Accused Zubair Ansari returned to India in 2019 following a reported fallout with his family and has been living here independently since then. (News18)

Investigators probing Mumbai’s Mira Road stabbing case involving accused Zaib Zubair Ansari are examining multiple aspects of his personal background, financial support, and digital activity, as agencies try to piece together whether the incident was a sudden “lone wolf” attack or ideologically driven.

At around 4am on Monday, Ansari attacked two security guards—identified as Rajkumar Mishra and Subroto Sen—at an under-construction site in Naya Nagar after asking them their religion, pointing to deliberate profiling of the victims. According to Mumbai Police, the accused also asked them to recite the ‘kalma’, failing which he pulled out a knife and stabbed them.

According to police sources, Ansari’s father, who works as a cab driver in the United States, has been regularly sending money to support his son’s day-to-day expenses in India. The family originally hails from Kurla in Mumbai and had moved to the US more than two decades ago along with Ansari and his siblings. The entire family continues to reside there.

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Ansari, however, returned to India in 2019 following a reported fallout with his family and has been living here independently since then.

Sources further said Ansari’s marriage had recently ended earlier this year, adding to a period of personal instability. He had been living in a rented accommodation in Naya Nagar and was reportedly earning a modest income by conducting online science tuition classes.

A key focus of the investigation is Ansari’s digital footprint. Police sources revealed that he had formatted his mobile phone prior to or around the time of the incident. Forensic experts have now been brought in to recover deleted data and reconstruct digital activity.

During searches, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) recovered several items from his premises, including a handwritten note referencing “lone wolf attacks”, mentions of the Islamic State, a laptop found on a table, and three copies of the Quran. Officials are now analysing whether these materials indicate ideological influence or were coincidental possessions.

The investigation is currently focused on determining the nature of the attack—whether it was a spontaneous act, a premeditated assault, or one influenced by extremist ideology. Authorities are also examining whether Ansari acted independently or was inspired through online radicalisation networks.

Earlier, officials described the case as a possible “lone wolf” style attack, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis noted that preliminary findings point towards self-radicalisation, though the probe is still ongoing.

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