The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has released fresh images of a suspect linked to the Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast, which inflicted injuries on 10 individuals.
The anti-terror agency, assuming control of the case on March 3, has implored the public to aid in identifying the individual suspected of planting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the popular eatery on March 1.
Surveillance footage captured the primary suspect boarding a bus approximately an hour post the cafe explosion, recorded at 2:03 pm on March 1, with the detonation occurring at 12:56 pm.
The individual, donning a T-shirt, cap, and face mask, was observed abandoning a bag containing the explosive device within the cafe premises.
In an additional footage snippet from the same day around 9 pm, the suspect was spotted wandering within a bus station vicinity.
The NIA has encouraged citizens to furnish any information conducive to the identification and apprehension of the suspect, offering a reward of ₹10 lakh for credible leads.
The Central Crime Branch of the Bengaluru police is collaborating with the NIA in the investigative process.
Two individuals, including a cloth merchant from Kaul Bazaar in Ballari district and a member associated with the proscribed Popular Front of India (PFI), have been detained in connection with the incident.
According to investigative insights, the suspect resorted to altering attire after the incident and embarked on bus journeys to various locales, encompassing Tumakuru, Ballari, Bidar, and Bhatkal.
Surveillance footage reveals the suspect's repeated attempts to alter his appearance to evade detection.
In a bid to restore normalcy, the Rameshwaram Cafe has recommenced operations today, bolstering security measures.
Metal detectors have been deployed at entry points, with patrons subject to screening via handheld detectors to ensure heightened safety protocols.
Raghavendra Rao, co-founder and CEO of The Rameshwaram Cafe, remarked, "We have fortified our security apparatus and are actively pursuing the establishment of a dedicated panel comprising ex-servicemen to impart training to our security personnel across all branches."
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