Live: 5 SIMI men who escaped jail responsible for Bengaluru blast?

30 December, 9:50 am: SIMI responsible for Bengaluru blast?

According to reports, the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that killed one woman in Bengaluru on Sunday was planted by the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

The investigating agencies probing the Bengaluru blast suspect that a SIMI and IM module is behind the blast. The funding to the terrorist activities of the SIMI is being linked to Bank Alfalah Limited, Karachi.

The blast has shown similarities with Pune, Chennai and Bijnour blasts indicating that the group of 5 SIMI cadres that is on the run after escaping from Khandwa jail in October 2013 could be behind the incident, reports DNA.

End of updates for 29 December

11. 50 am: Install CCTVs in Bangalore, says Rajnath Singh

Rajnath Singh appeals to Karnataka govt to install CCTVs in all key places in Bangalore. “If necessary, we will hand over the probe in the Bangalore blast to NIA,” the Home Minister said.

11. 20 am: NIA to assist probe, police teams fanned out

According to reports, the National Investigation Team would assist in the probe into the blast. Police teams have been sent to Pune and Chennai to investigate terror links. A high-level meeting was held by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah this morning to take stock of the security situation in the wake of a blast. It was attended by Home Minister K J George, DGP L Pachau, city Police Commissioner M N Reddi and others, as investigators continued to gather evidence on the blast triggered by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

In Delhi, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said it was a “terror attack”.

George said the National Investigation Team would assist the city police in investigation, adding, “…we have to see what is the cause who is behind it”.

Footages from the CCTVs installed in buildings around the blast site located in the heart of the city were being examined, police officials said.

Probe teams had been sent to Pune and Chennai, where blasts had occurred earlier, DCP (Central) Sandeep Patil said.

10: 30 am: Bangalore blast likely retaliation for pro-IS tweeter Mehdi arrest, says Karnataka CM

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly said the Bengaluru blast which killed one woman was likely a retaliation for the arrest of pro-Islamic State tweeter Mehdi Masroor Biswas, reported Hindustan Times.

The state government will hold a high-level meeting to decide on a probe into the IED blast which killed one woman and injured three others in the central business district of Bengaluru.

According to reports, Home Minister will take a call on whether the blasts will be probed by NIA.

9. 10 am: Karnataka CM calls for high level meet

The Karnataka Chief Minister has called for high level meet on the Bangalore blast. He has ordered the police to review the safety measures ahead of the New Year.

8. 39 am: NIA to probe Bangalore blast?

According to reports, NIA may investigate the Bangalore blast incident. However, no formal orders have been given to NIA yet. Reports say NIA team from Hyderbad is likely to visit the Bangalore blast site to gather evidence.

8: 30 am: Karnataka CM announces Rs 5 lakh compensation

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a compensation of Rs five lakh to the kin of a woman who was killed in the low-intensity explosion outside a restaurant in Bengaluru blast that also left three persons injured.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the injured at a hospital here in the wee hours, Siddaramaiah said the government would provide a compensation of Rs five lakh to the family of the woman, who succumbed to injuries sustained in the explosion last night.

The Chief Minister, who earlier rushed to the blast site from Mysuru, said best treatment would be provided to the injured. He said compensation would also be given to the injured, but did not specify the quantum. The victim identified as Bhavani had come on a visit here from Tamil Nadu and was killed and three others, including one of her relatives, injured in the blast triggered by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in front of the Coconut Grove restaurant on a busy road in the heart of the city around 8.30 pm yesterday.

City Police Commissioner M N Reddi confirmed that Bhavani, in her 30s, succumbed to injuries at Mallya Hospital, where she was rushed in a serious condition. Her relative Karthik, who was also injured, is hospitalised but out of danger. Two more injured - Vinay and Sandeep - are undergoing treatment at HOSMAT hospital. The restaurant is close to the fashionable Brigade Road and MG Road, dotted with bars and restaurants with teeming crowd on weekends.

According to Times Now reports, forces in Karnataka has been mobilised after alert sounded by police. Reports say bomb squads, forensic experts, anti-sabotage teams are now surveying the area.

7: 40 am: Delhi, Mumbai on high alert

Following the Bangalore blast, high alert has been sounded in Delhi. The intelligence agency have asked the Delhi Police to beef up security on busy streets and adjoining areas. According to reports, apart from Delhi, cities like Kolkata, Pune and Mumbai have been conveyed to step up the security of their vital establishments.

7:20 am: It is an act of terror, says Karnataka Home Minister

Karnataka home minister KJ George told reporters that it was a terror attack. No group has yet claimed responsibility for it. “It is an act of terrorism. It was done to create a fear psychosis.There is no need to panic. The culprits will soon be brought to book,” he told Times of India.

Police sources said it was a low-intensity blast from an Improvised Explosive Device, which was filled with shrapnel, used ammonium nitrate and was fitted with a timer device. The bomb had apparently been placed in a drain on the roadside.

7.00 am: 1 woman killed, 3 injured in explosion outside Bengaluru restaurant

A woman was killed and three others were injured in a blast triggered by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in front of a popular restaurant on a busy road in the heart of the city on Sunday night.

The IED wrapped in a plastic bag and suspected to have been placed in a bushy plant went off around 8.30 PM in front of Coconut Grove restaurant, killing a woman in her 30s and injuring three others after they were hit by shrapnels, Karnataka Director General of Police L Pachau told reporters at the site.

City Police Commissioner M N Reddi confirmed that the victim, identified as Bhavani, who had come on a visit here from Tamil Nadu, succumbed to injuries at a hospital, where she was rushed in a serious condition. Her relative Karthik, who was also injured, is hospitalised but out of danger.

Two more injured persons– Vinay and Sandeep — are undergoing treatment at HOSMAT Hospital.

The restaurant is close to the fashionable Brigade Road and MG Road, dotted with bars and restaurants with teeming crowd on weekends.

Reddi said no group has claimed responsibility for the blast so far, even as police has cordoned off the area and mobilised the entire city police force stepping up security.

The blast was of low intensity, Pachau said, adding experts were examining “as to what type of bomb was used.”

Vinay said they were coming out of the restaurant and were close to the woman, who died, when the blast occurred. He said he saw her slump to the ground.

Reddi, who did not rule out terror angle, said police had obtained “certain information” from their preliminary investigation which could not be disclosed. Asked if any timer had been attached to the IED, Reddi said the bomb detection squad and forensic experts were examining “available traces.”

He said the entire city police force had been mobilised and additional force from Karnataka State reserve police had also been pressed into service as part of beefed up security.

Reddi said the explosion occurred at about 8:30 PM, “which having checked we have found that there was improvised explosive device that was used by some culprits….”.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up Karnataka Chief Minister S Siddaramaiah and assured him that all help will be given by the Centre.

Singh said the Chief Minister apprised him of the situation.

“Spoke to Karnataka CM Shri S Siddaramaiah regarding the Bangalore blast. He apprised me of the situation. Centre ready to provide all help,” Singh tweeted later.

Union Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju said in Delhi that the situation in Bengaluru is under control, but it was too early to say who was responsible for the explosion.

Asked if there was any threat perception to the city, Reddi said, “there has been threat perception in general, in view of the fact that there are festivities, in view of the fact that there has been New Year’s eve coming…” He said there has been “some amount” of threat perception but that has been generic and there has been an alert in general.

Today’s incident has occurred coincidentally on December 28, the day when a Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi Professor was killed and some others injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire at them at the country’s premier Indian Institute of Science (IIISc) campus here in 2005.

This is the fourth time the country’s technology hub was hit by bomb blasts after incidents in 2008, 2010 and 2013. In 2008, in serial blasts at nine places, two persons were killed and 20 others injured in an IED explosion.

Two bombs exploded outside the cricket stadium hours before an IPL match, leaving 15 persons injured in 2010. A third bomb was defused.

In 2013, a bomb went off outside the state BJP headquarters in the crowded Malleshwaram area just ahead of the Assembly polls, leaving 16 people injured.