National Desk, 13th March: A major suspect in the Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe IED bomb case has allegedly been taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The suspect, identified as Shabbir, was reportedly apprehended from the Bellary district of Karnataka, as per statements from NIA officials cited by news agency ANI.
Authorities are currently questioning him, although his identity as the individual seen on CCTV footage has yet to be confirmed.
This development comes two days after Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara announced that investigators probing the March 1 explosion at the popular restaurant had made progress in identifying the perpetrator and were working towards apprehending him.
The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru Police is collaborating with the NIA in the investigation into the blast that injured ten people at the fast-food eatery in the Brookefield area of Bengaluru’s IT corridor.
After an NIA team visited the bomb site on March 3, the case was transferred to the agency for further investigation. In a bid to aid the probe, the NIA has offered a reward of ₹10 lakh for any information leading to the identification of the bomber, assuring informants of anonymity.
Additionally, the FBI has released a photo of the suspected bomber, captured from CCTV footage while he was placing a backpack in the Rameshwaram Cafe. The individual in the photo is seen wearing black pants, black shoes, and a cap.
In a statement posted on ‘X’, the NIA reiterated the reward offer, emphasizing the confidentiality of informants and highlighting that any information leading to the suspect’s arrest would be duly rewarded.
The explosion occurred at 1 pm on March 1, and CCTV footage showed a suspect placing a bag inside the cafe. Initial investigations suggest the use of an IED device with a timer in executing the blast.
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