 "Security personnel stand guard at the Rameshwaram cafe blast site, in Bengaluru. PTI")
The probe into the bomb blast at the Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru is currently underway.
A total of ten people were injured in the low-intensity blast at the café in the Whitefield area on 1 March.
The prime suspect was caught on CCTV cameras installed in the area and new details about him has surfaced.
Here’s what the new CCTV footage have shown.
Some key leads about the suspect
The CCTV camera trail of the suspect has also provided key leads, including his facial features.
According to NDTV, the suspect in the bombing last week spent nine minutes inside the café. The new CCTV footage shows the suspect wearing sunglasses, a mask and a baseball hat walking towards the café from a public bus stand, which is about 100 metres away from the café.
An Indian Express report citing CCTV footage claimed that the suspect arrived on a public bus at the bus stop at around 10.45 am.
The NDTV report states the unidentified man entered the café, while talking on a mobile phone at 11.34 am and he left at 11.43 am.
Another piece of CCTV footage, according to the news channel, shows the suspect walked to a bus stop over a kilometre away for his escape using public buses.
The abovementioned events suggest the alleged bomber used multiple public buses for carrying the explosive device and escape the scene later. The Indian Express report also suggests the man made multiple stopovers, including at a Muslim religious centre, which is located several kilometres from the site.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsA report by the Hindustan Times claims that the baseball cap worn by the suspect was found at one of the stopover locations during the escape. Thus, suggesting that the suspect may have changed his clothes at a stop.
Reportedly, police sources have also found the improvised explosive device (IED) responsible for the near the hand-washing area. The device contained nuts and bolts as shrapnel, according to News18.
The probe in the case revealed that the IED was kept in a tiffin box bag and was wrapped in fibrous material, Indian Express quoted its sources as saying. The explosive device reportedly contained a mixture of sulphur and potassium nitrate.
The explosive device’s triggering mechanism is very similar to those discovered in two terror attacks from 2022 in Karnataka that are being investigated by NIA, the newspaper’s sources said.
NIA releases suspect’s picture
To apprehend the suspect, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) also made public a photo of the unidentified man on Wednesday who is thought to have put the bomb at the café.
The inquiry had been officially taken over by NIA a few days prior.
In a post on X, the NIA sought details about the possible bomber along with a photo of him, assuring to keep the informant’s name confidential.
The alleged bomber is seen carrying a backpack and is dressed in trousers and a grey shirt in the picture. Trying to hide his identity, he’s wearing glasses and a baseball cap.
Rameshwaram Café bomb blast
The blast left ten people injured, including some of the café staff.
Dramatic footage of the restaurant roof partially collapsing can be seen in CCTV footage that has appeared online. In the footage, frightened customers run around wildly as dense smoke surrounds the scene.
Police have filed a first information report or FIR, under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act, 120B, 324, and 307.
“We are continuing our investigation. Eight teams have been formed and all are working in different directions and looking at different aspects. We have collected several CCTV footage,” Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara had said, according to The Times of India.
“…We do not know if there is any connection with the Mangaluru blast. They have used a similar material and the same system technically. Yesterday NSG (National Security Guards) arrived here. We will definitely find the person. We had a meeting yesterday and briefed the Chief Minister,” he added.
Speaking about the new leads in the case, the State Home Minister, according to the Deccan Herald, said, “All the case details cannot be revealed now. Very soon, the suspect will be caught.”
With inputs from agencies