Bengaluru Blast Case | NIA offers ₹10 lakh reward for information on Rameshwaram Cafe bomber

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday, March 6, announced a cash reward of ₹10 lakh for any information leading to the identification and apprehension of the individual responsible for the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru. The explosion, which occurred on March 1 at the popular eatery in Whitefield, left at least 10 people injured. The informant's identity will be kept confidential, as stated by the NIA.

Prior to NIA's involvement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had handed over the investigation to the anti-terror agency, considering the gravity of the incident. The blast case had initially been under the purview of Bengaluru Police and the Central Crime Branch, yet no arrests have been made so far.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had hinted at the possibility of transferring the case to NIA if deemed necessary. Speaking on the matter, he mentioned, “We will see. The investigation has just begun. No accused has been arrested yet. We will see if the need arises (for NIA investigation).”

The injured victims are currently undergoing treatment in various private hospitals, with the Karnataka government assuring that the state will cover the medical expenses. In response to the incident, Bengaluru Police initiated investigations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Substances Act. The main suspect, captured on CCTV footage wearing a cap, mask, and glasses, remains elusive.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara affirmed that the suspect would be apprehended soon. He disclosed that multiple teams were diligently working on the investigation and had gathered 40-50 CCTV footage recordings. Parameshwara hinted at the possibility that the suspect might have used a bus for transportation.

Authorities are exploring various angles in their investigation, including business rivalry and potential attempts to terrorise the city ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah personally inspected the blast site, visited the injured at the hospital, and chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation.

CCTV footage indicates that the suspect, believed to be between 28 to 30 years old, entered the café, purchased a voucher for Rava idli, but left without consuming it, abandoning a bag containing an improvised explosive device (IED). The Bengaluru Police released snapshots from the CCTV footage, revealing the suspect with a covered face.

In response to the incident, the opposition criticised the Siddaramaiah-led government, accusing them of concealing facts about the bomb blast. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka stated, “The Congress government is only trying to hide facts in the Rameshwaram Cafe incident."

Meanwhile, the co-founder and CEO of The Rameshwaram Cafe, Raghavendra Rao, announced the reopening of the Brookfield outlet on March 8, expressing gratitude to the authorities for their support. “We have decided to reopen our Brookfield outlet within a week of the unfortunate incident, which is on the auspicious day of Mahashivratri, the 8th of March (Friday),” Rao was quoted as saying by Mint.