In a significant development, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has transferred jurisdiction of the Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast case in Bengaluru to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). This decision comes after the low-intensity explosion rattled the IT hub on Friday, causing injuries to at least 10 individuals. Bengaluru Police and the Central Crime Branch have been conducting preliminary investigations, but as of yet, no suspects have been apprehended.
The blast, which occurred at the popular eatery located in Whitefield, prompted swift action from both local and state authorities. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the blast site and met with the injured victims in the hospital. A high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister emphasised the necessity of a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident.
CCTV footage revealed a suspect, estimated to be between 28 and 30 years old, entering the cafe during lunch hours. The individual purchased a coupon for Rava idli but departed without consuming the food, leaving behind a bag containing an improvised explosive device (IED). Despite the release of CCTV images showing the suspect with his face obscured by a mask and cap, authorities are yet to make any headway in identifying or apprehending the perpetrator.
Raghavendra Rao, co-founder and CEO of Rameshwaram Cafe, has called upon both the Union and state governments to take stringent measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. He vehemently denied any involvement of business rivalry in the attack, stressing that such harmful activities have no place within the business community.
Meanwhile, the opposition has criticised the Siddaramaiah-led government, accusing them of withholding crucial information regarding the blast. Leader of the Opposition,
R Ashoka, alleges that the government is attempting to conceal facts related to the incident, drawing parallels to previous instances where transparency was questioned.
