Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah confirmed that a low-intensity Improvised Explosion Device(IED) device was responsible for the explosion at the popular eatery Rameshwaram cafe in Bengaluru on Friday, February 1.
“We are examining the CCTV footage. It was an explosive blast. We don’t know who has done it. The police are at the spot. I have asked the home minister to review the situation,” he said, addressing reporters in Mysuru.
The chief minister stated that it was not a high explosive but an improvised blast. Siddaramaiah emphasized that there should be “no politicization” of the incident, recalling that the last blast in Karnataka during the BJP government’s rule in Mangaluru.
After initial suspicions that the blast at the popular city eatery, which left at least nine people injured, occurred due to a gas leak, the fire department on Friday ruled out that possibility and said a bag was found at the spot. Forensic teams are trying to ascertain the actual cause of the explosion.
Those injured have been shifted to different hospitals for treatment. Among them were two staff and seven customers, officials said.
A bomb disposal squad and forensic teams arrived at the spot to ascertain the actual cause of the blast as police suspected that a bag at the eatery exploded.
CCTV footage was scanned to check if there was any suspicious movement in and around Rameswaram Cafe in Whitefield, where the blast took place.
Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and other senior officials inspected the premises, which has been cordoned off.
NIA and IB officials have been informed, the DGP said.
“At 1.08 pm today, the fire department received a call about LPG leakage fire in the cafe. When our officers and teams reached the spot, there was no fire or flame. A bag which was lying behind a woman who was sitting with six other customers at the eatery exploded. It is suspected that the explosion could have been caused due to some object in that bag,” TN Shivashankar, Director of Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services department told PTI.
It is not clear whose bag it was, he said.
Ruling out about the possibility of any gas cylinder leakage, the officer said, “I along with my team of officers inspected the spot. But there is no sign of any leakage from the gas cylinder. We have checked it. Another LPG gas cylinder inside the kitchen which was used for tea and coffee was also checked but there is no leakage from it as well. There is no sign of gas leakage from any cylinders at the spot as per our initial probe.”
In total, nine people, including seven customers were injured. Among those grievously injured is the woman who was sitting near the bag. She is being treated at the hospital, he added.
The cafe which is located at Whitefield’s Brookfield area, a vibrant neighborhood, a business centre as well as a tech hub.
The cafe is usually crowded with employees from nearby offices during the lunch hours.
Edison, an eyewitness said, “I was waiting outside the eatery for my turn when suddenly we heard a loud noise… an explosion. We got scared not knowing what it was. There were around 35-40 people at the eatery. They all started rushing out and there was absolute chaos. They started saying that a cylinder exploded. But we don’t know exactly what happened.”
Amruth, who works at a private firm nearby had just placed his order when he suddenly he heard a huge explosion.
“I was waiting outside the cafe after placing my order and the blast took place…we saw some four people were injured. In no time, ambulance and fire engine rushed in. Police teams were here. They started rescuing people…,” he said.
Police said they are probing all angles.
(With excerpts from PTI)
