Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe Bomb Blast Case: NIA Detains 5 Suspects In Saidapet, Chennai; Keezhakarai, Rameshwaram Also Being Raided As Part Of Multi-State Raids 

In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken custody of five individuals for questioning in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast case in Bengaluru. The suspects were apprehended in Tamil Nadu’s Saidapet area, and the NIA is currently conducting extensive interrogations. 

The NIA carried out raids at 17 locations across seven states to apprehend the accused linked to the bomb blast. Through the raids conducted in Chennai and Ramanathapuram district, the NIA aims to uncover any potential links or outfits in Tamil Nadu associated with the Bengaluru cafe blast. The locations under scrutiny include Mannady and Muthialpet in North Chennai, as well as Keezhakkarai in the southern Ramanathapuram district.

The Rameshwaram Cafe Bomb Blast

The move to conduct raids comes after the agency took over the investigation following the Ministry of Home Affairs’ intervention, highlighting the gravity of the incident that occurred on 1 March 2024 at the Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru, causing injuries to multiple individuals.

The security camera inside Rameshwaram Cafe captured the explosion, prompting the state police to initiate an investigation. However, given the complexity and severity of the case, the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the probe to the NIA.

During the ongoing investigation, it has emerged that the individual seen in the CCTV footage of the Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast may have manipulated the use of a mobile phone during the 10 minutes spent at the eatery. The suspect, captured on CCTV wearing a cap, glasses, and a mask, is under scrutiny by the NIA.

The initial findings suggest the involvement of suspects outside Karnataka, prompting the NIA’s intervention. Authorities in Chennai and Ramanathapuram are actively participating in the investigation, aligning efforts to ascertain the potential connections with the Bengaluru blast. 

The identification of the individual who placed the bag containing the improvised explosive device (IED) in the cafe has led to an intensified manhunt. Officials suspect that the perpetrator, who traveled by bus from the blast site, may have fled Karnataka and sought refuge in neighbouring states. 

(with inputs from Republic)

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