Pahalgam-Like Attack in Mira Road? Who is Jaib Zubair Ansari, US-Returned Man Arrested for Attacking Guards Over ‘Kalma’ Refusal

New Delhi: In a shocking incident reminiscent of the Pahalgam terror attack, a 31-year-old Mumbai native, Jaib Zubair Ansari, who had returned from the US in 2019, was held for allegedly stabbing two private security guards in Maharashtra's Mira Road’s Nayanagar area after interrogating them about their religious identity and demanding they recite the ‘Kalma’ (an Islamic declaration of faith) – a request they reportedly denied.

The case, now being probed by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), is being investigated from a possible “lone wolf” terror angle.

The incident took place around 4 am in the Nayanagar locality, where Ansari allegedly approached two guards Rajkumar Mishra and Subrato Sen at a construction site.

Who is Jaib Zubair Ansari? 

Jaib Zubair Ansari is a science graduate who had spent several years in the United States before returning to India in 2019.

Originally from Mumbai’s Kurla area, he had been living alone in a rented flat in Mira Road. Sources indicate that he had recently been asked by his landlord to vacate the premises.

Unable to secure stable employment, he returned to India a few years ago from the US, where his family was allegedly still residing and was reportedly conducting online chemistry classes while looking for job opportunities.

Ansari had earlier worked as a teacher at a coaching centre, teaching chemistry and mathematics.

Investigators say he lived a largely isolated life after returning from the US, with limited social interaction and no steady professional engagement in recent months.

‘Seemed like a decent man’: Guard recalls accused

One of the security guards revealed that Ansari was not entirely unknown in the area and had been seen around for months.

He said, “I have known the accused, Zuber Ansari, for four months; I used to see him here. He always came and went alone; no one ever accompanied him.”

Recalling the police questioning, he added, “Yesterday, the police arrived and questioned me. I informed them that I have been seeing him for four months, that he frequented this place, and that he always moved about alone.”

The guard further described the accused as someone who did not raise suspicion earlier, stating, “He appeared to be a simple-looking individual he seemed like a decent man.”

Arrested within 90 minutes

The Nayanagar police acted swiftly, using CCTV footage from the area to identify and track the accused.

Ansari was arrested within 90 minutes of the attack, and the case was later handed over to the ATS due to its serious nature and suspected ideological angle.

ATS conducts raids, NIA joins probe

Preliminary findings suggest that the attack may have been deliberate and targeted, prompting investigators to examine it as a possible lone wolf act.

Authorities are also probing Ansari’s mental, social and criminal background to determine what led to the incident.

The ATS has also carried out raids at multiple locations linked to the accused, including in Kurla, Mira Road and Thane, with the NIA joining the probe. 

During searches at his residence, police and ATS officials recovered handwritten notes and material allegedly linked to ISIS. Electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets and pen drives have also been seized, along with documents and literature, which are now being analysed.

According to reports, his online history showed repeated exposure to extremist propaganda content.

Pahalgam Terror Attack 

On April 22, 2025, terror struck Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam when Islamist terrorists asked people their religion, and killed them, resulting in the massacre of 26 innocent people, most of whom were tourists. To identify their religion, the terrorists asked the tourists to recite the kalmas.

The victims included newly-wed couples who were on their honeymoon.

Apart from the 25 tourists who were murdered, a local Muslim pony ride operator who tried to take a gun from the hands of a terrorist was also killed.

The attack sent shockwaves across the nation.

Operation Sindoor

In response to the horrific Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. The Indian military destroyed nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. These strikes targeted facilities operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Over 100 terrorists were killed in the operation, including high-value targets such as Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf, and Mudassir Ahmad.

Of the nine locations hit, four were in Pakistan, including Bahawalpur and Muridke, while five were in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Muzaffarabad and Kotli.

In retaliation, Pakistan launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Indian cities on the nights of May 7, 8, and 9, 2025. India’s air defence systems successfully neutralised all incoming threats, preventing damage on Indian soil.

India also carried out SEAD, or Suppression of Enemy Air Defences, operations using kamikaze drones to neutralise Pakistan’s air defence capabilities. These operations were reported to be highly effective, with Lahore’s air defence system completely disabled. Pakistan’s HQ-9 air defence system was found to be ineffective during these strikes.

On the night of May 9 and 10, 2025, India successfully targeted multiple Pakistani air bases. Within a span of three hours, 11 military installations were hit, including Nur Khan, Rafiqui, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari, and Jacobabad.

Satellite images from multiple sources, comparing pre- and post-strike visuals, demonstrated the scale of destruction caused by the Indian attacks.

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