10 people, including staff and customers, were injured in a blast at the famous Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on Friday, March 1. The bomb exploded between 12:50 pm and 1 pm. However, there was no loss of life.
The injured are out of danger, according to officials.
After the blast, CCTV footage of the incident surfaced on X. Clips of the suspect walking around with a bag that allegedly contained the bomb have also surfaced on social media.
According to official sources, images of the suspect’s movement have been captured by the CCTV cameras at the Rameshwaram cafe in Brookefield, Bengaluru, and those nearby.
There are reports of a person being detained for questioning late on Friday night. However, there is no official confirmation of this.
“We are positive about the leads we are getting in nabbing the culprit,” an official said.
The investigating teams are also looking at similarities between Friday’s explosion and the November 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast, sources said.
The Bengaluru Police has registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the Rameshwaram cafe.
The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has taken up the investigation, and seven to eight teams have been formed, the sources said, adding, that the suspect, carrying a bag, was wearing a cap and mask to hide his identity. It exploded about an hour later.
According to Bengaluru police, the blast was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fitted with a timer in a bag left near the handwash area of the Rameshwaram Cafe by a “customer”.
Forensic experts and the bomb disposal squad visited the spot, police said, adding that the case is being investigated from all angles. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convened a meeting of senior Home Department officials today in the wake of the blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru. 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 blast, recalling the last blast in Karnataka during the BJP government’s rule in Mangaluru.
After initial suspicions that the blast at the Rameshwaram cafe occurred due to a gas leak, the Bengaluru 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.
The Rameshwaram Cafe which witnessed the bomb blast at its Brookefield branch, Bengaluru on Friday, said it is cooperating with authorities and officials in their investigation.
In a statement, it said: “We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at our Brookefield branch. We are cooperating with the authorities and officials in their investigations.” Co-founder and managing director of Rameshwaram Cafe (Bengaluru), Divya Raghavendra Rao, said, “Our thoughts are with the injured and their families, and we are offering them all the support, assistance and care they need and praying for their speedy recovery.”
