Bengaluru: The explosion occurred at The Rameshwaram Cafe, a famous eatery in Karnataka's Bengaluru, was a low intensity timer-based Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed on Friday. At least nine people have been injured in the incident.
Bengaluru Police have registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the city's popular eatery Rameshwaram Cafe on Friday, officials said.
What has been found in the investigation so far is that it was a low-intensity IED blast which was triggered using a timer. A 9-volt battery was installed in the device. Nuts and bolts were used in the IED instead of shrapnels, officials informed.
More to this incident, the cops have noticed a person in the CCTV footage who entered the cafe, took a token from the cash counter and kept his bag in the dining area. The police suspect that the same person may have carried out the blast.
Cafe explosion is a bomb blast, will find those behind it, said Karnataka DGP.
Watch the moment when blast rocked The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru
Suspected accused seen on CCTV, says police
Cops have noticed a man on the CCTV who entered the cafe, took a food coupen, went to the dining area and kept a bag there.
According to the police, the age of the accused is between 30 to 35 years. After reaching the cafe, he took the coupon of Rava Idli, but did not eat it. He left a bag near the dining area after which the blast took place.
The accused had arrived to the restaurant in a bus.
Siddaramaiah on Rameshwaram Cafe blast
Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said that he has been informed that it is an improvised explosive device (IED) blast.
"CCTV footage is being examined and police are carrying out an investigation. I have asked the Home Minister (Dr G Parameshwara) to visit the spot," he said.
The Chief Minister said that the explosive was kept in a bag abandoned by the suspect.
"The police are gathering information from the cashier about the person, as he had got the token from the cashier, got the food, and later kept the bag near the hand wash," he said.
"These incidents have taken place at all times. They should not happen. The state had not witnessed such an incident for a long time. The last incident was the Mangaluru cooker blast incident, it was also a small incident. This is the first incident after the Congress government came to power," CM Siddaramaiah said.
He asserted that the culprits will be found and strict action will be taken against them, and there should not be any politics in these matters.
"We will initiate harsh action," he stated.
State DGP Alok Mohan said that they had contacted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB), and police and the FSL teams are conducting an investigation at the site.
The blast took place at around 1.15 pm when many people had gathered at the cafe, located in the Kundalahalli Gate area near Whitefield, as it was the lunch hour.
WIth inputs from agencies
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