A 31-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing two security guards in Mira Road near Mumbai after questioning them about their religion, police said.

The incident occurred early Sunday morning at an under-construction building in Mira Road East, where the guards were on duty.

According to a report by India Today, the accused, identified as Jaib Zubair Ansari, asked the guards their names and religion and then questioned whether they could recite the Kalma, an Islamic declaration of faith.

When they said they could not, he allegedly attacked them with a knife. Police are examining whether the incident has any ideological or extremist links.

The victims, Rajkumar Mishra and Subroto Sen, were on duty around 4 am when the accused approached them and suddenly turned violent, officials said.