Rameshwaram Cafe blast: NIA releases fresh photos of suspect
The prime suspect was captured on CCTV footage, boarding a bus approximately an hour after the blast occurred at the cafe
The suspect is spotted roaming inside a bus station around 9 pm another footage from the same day | Photo credit: X/@NIA_India
The NIA on Saturday (March 9) released fresh photographs of the suspect linked to the Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast which left 10 people injured, and sought people’s help in identifying him.
The NIA took over the probe into the case on March 3 and is now trying to zero in on the suspect who is believed to have planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the popular Bengaluru eatery on March 1.
The prime suspect was captured on CCTV footage, boarding a bus approximately an hour after the blast occurred at the cafe. The timestamp on the video reads 2.03 pm on March 1, with the blast taking place at 12:56 pm. Wearing a T-shirt, cap, and facemask, the suspect was seen leaving behind a bag containing the IED in the cafe.
Announces reward
Incidentally, the suspect is spotted roaming inside a bus station around 9 pm another footage from the same day. The anti-terror agency has made an appeal to citizens to step forward with any information that may lead to the identification and apprehension of the suspect, offering a reward of Rs 10 lakh for valuable information.
The Central Crime Branch of the Bengaluru police has joined hands with the NIA in the investigation. The agency has arrested a cloth merchant from Ballari district and a PFI cadre. As per investigations, the suspect changed his clothes after the incident and travelled by bus to different locations, including Tumakuru, Ballari, Bidar, and Bhatkal. CCTV footage revealed that the suspect frequently changed his appearance to evade detection.
Café reopens
Meanwhile, the Rameshwaram Cafe resumed operations on Saturday with enhanced security measures in place. Metal detectors have been installed at the entrance, and customers are subjected to screening using handheld detectors to ensure the safety of patrons and staff.
“We have strengthened our security team and are also trying to set up a separate panel involving ex-servicemen who could train our security guards at all our branches,” said Raghavendra Rao, the co-founder and CEO of the Rameshwaram Café.