Who Is Zubair Ansari? Mira Road Stabbing Accused With US Family Links Under Probe

Mira Road man Zaib Zubair Ansari arrested for stabbing two security guards. Here are more details about the accused.

According to police, Zaib Zubair Ansari’s parents, sister and wife are US citizens but he has been in India since 2020. His father is a taxi driver in the US.

In the wee hours of Monday, a 31-year-old man attacked two security guards in the Mira Bhayander area near Mumbai. He was soon taken into custody and booked under sections relating to attempt to murder.

According to police, the incident took place at around 4 am on Monday at an under-construction site in Nayanagar, Mira Road East, where both victims were on duty as security guards. In the attack Rajkumar Mishra sustained grievous injuries and Subroto Sen suffered comparatively minor injuries. The accused was identified as Zaib Zubair Ansari.

Who is Zaib Zubair Ansari?

Police said investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the surrounding locality soon after the incident was reported and identified the accused through surveillance inputs.

The investigation initially drew the attention of the Thane Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which joined local police in questioning the accused.

Zaib Zubair Ansari was arrested by the Maharashtra police from his rented house in the Naya Nagar area in Mira Road East. After attacking the security guards, he had reportedly gone home and slept. However, he was arrested within one-and-a-half hours of the incident.

According to police, Ansari’s parents, sister and wife are US citizens but he has been in India since 2020. His father is a taxi driver in the US.

According to preliminary information, he completed his graduation in Chemistry in the United States before returning to India in 2019. Sources also said he reportedly conducted online sessions on a range of educational subjects.

In Mumbai, Ansari reportedly worked as a teacher of chemistry and mathematics at a coaching centre. However, police said he was radicalised.

According to FirstPost, the officials from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism squad raided Ansari’s house and found handwritten notes in which he expressed his desire to join the terror group Islamic State (IS). Also, words like ISIS, lone wolf, jihad, and Gaza were found scribbled in notes written by Ansari.

Police also said three mobile phones and one laptop have been recovered from Ansari.

ANI reported that Ansari described the attack as his “first step” towards joining the terrorist organisation.

Police said an investigation has been launched to ascertain whether this was a one-off attack or part of a larger conspiracy.

Sources Point To Alleged Religious Slogan Dispute

Following the incident, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “Overall after looking at the case it seems to be of Self Radicalisation. By majority use of books, literature and internet the accused has radicalized himself. By the motive of doing Jihad and kill those belonging to other religion with this in mind he has done this crime.”

“The accused has been arrested and with help of ATS and NIA who all are there behind this radicalisation will be searched out. The family of accused is out of country in America, the accused himself had stayed out of India.. when he came here he first stayed at Kurla and later came to Nayanagar. Who all are there behind this? Who all are in the link? Who others are been radicalized like this? All this will come forward in investigation,” he added.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam claimed that before the attack, the accused had asked one of the guards to recite the kalma. According to him, preliminary interrogation indicated the accused may have links to terrorist organisations, a claim he said warrants a thorough investigation. Sanjay Nirupam also said the extent of any suspected connections should be examined and asserted that a repeat of incidents like Pulwama must not be allowed.

According to sources familiar with the case, Rajkumar Mishra allegedly resisted during the confrontation, following which an argument reportedly broke out. It was during this altercation, sources claimed, that Ansari stabbed Mishra. He then allegedly attacked Subroto Sen, who was nearby.

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