NIA Tasked to Investigate Bengaluru Cafe Blast by Central Government

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to assume responsibility for the investigation into the recent blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru from the Karnataka Police. The directive was issued to uncover a broader conspiracy behind the incident.

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, D K Shivakumar, stated on Saturday that the blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe resembles incidents that occurred in Mangaluru and Shivamogga in 2022. He noted that the materials found inside the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) were similar, suggesting a connection between these incidents. He further mentioned that the explosion was of low intensity and involved locally sourced materials.

Following the explosion at The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru's Whitefield area last Friday, an NIA team visited the site and reported their findings to their superiors at the Delhi headquarters. The MHA, recognizing the seriousness of the case, subsequently decided to assign the investigation to the NIA.

Upon reviewing CCTV footage, police identified a man wearing a cap, glasses, and a mask, who was present at the cafe an hour before the blast at 12.56 pm, as a suspect. The suspect, who paid cash for a snack and sat near the corner where the blast occurred, left the premises before the IED was detonated via a digital timer. It is suspected that he left a bag containing the IED behind.

CCTV footage revealed that the suspect arrived at the cafe on a city bus with route number 500 D and alighted at the nearby Kundalahalli bus stand. Additional footage showed him leaving the area before the explosion.

The blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe, which occurred during lunch hour when the restaurant is typically frequented by office workers from nearby establishments, resulted in injuries to at least 10 people.