Mumbai: Zaib Zubair Ansari, who stabbed two security guards in Mira Road in what’s being described as a “lone wolf attack”, is an educated Mumbaikar originally from Kurla, who lived in the US for a few years before returning to the city.Neighbours in Mira Road, where he set up home on his return, say he began to keep to himself after separating from his wife last year. He attacked the two guards with a knife on Monday, injuring one of them seriously, after demanding to know their faith.Those who had interacted with Ansari said he was a loner who would mostly remain confined to his flat on the third floor of the building in the middle-class housing society. No one could even identify which mosque he visited though there are several in the neighbourhood.A day before the attack on the guards, Ansari was informed that the lease on the house he had rented was over. “The last time we saw him was on Sunday, the day before he stabbed the two guards. He seemed normal. He lived on rent and we informed him that his agreement had ended,” said the society’s secretary, Faiyaz Alam. “He just said he would inform me if he would renew or vacate the flat. We heard of the attack the next morning,” added the secretary.A divorced man who lived alone, Ansari is believed to have self-radicalised by reading up extremist literature and watching videos online. “He had submitted a police verification certificate and his agreement with the flat owner. He would pay rent regularly. So, there was no reason for us to go and see what he did inside the home,” reasoned the secretary.When Ansari rented the flat two years ago, he had come with his mother and wife. “I think he started growing a beard recently because when he had come for the flat’s agreement two years ago, he did not sport the beard,” said the estate agent who had got him the flat on rent.For the last six months, he had lived alone after divorcing his wife who moved back to the US. His parents still live in the US. “His loneliness might have caused the depression or pushed him to radicalisation. He would offer namaz regularly,” said the agent.The man described a recent encounter with Ansari, which indicated some tension. “A few days ago, Ansari got out of an autorickshaw near my office and tried to pay for the fare using his phone. When the driver refused to accept the money online, I saw him arguing with him. Then I gave him Rs 60 which he returned the next day,” said the agent.Neighbours and other residents in the building said it was hard to accept that religious extremism could be the sole reason for the attack on the two Hindu security guards. “If he wanted to harm a Hindu, the security guard in our building is also a Hindu with a more pronounced mark as he wears a tilak. He would have been an easier target,” said Ejaz Khatib, a BJP functionary whose office is in the same society.
