In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has apprehended two additional suspects in Bengaluru in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, as per sources on Thursday.
The detained individuals, believed to have links with the bomber, were associated with the banned Al-Hind Trust, according to sources familiar with the matter. However, an official statement from the NIA regarding the detentions is awaited. To date, no arrests have been made in the blast case, with a total of four persons detained, including the two apprehended on Thursday. One suspect, detained earlier, was released after questioning.
The NIA, along with police teams, conducted raids at multiple locations in Bengaluru, Shivamogga, and Chennai on Wednesday as part of the investigation. Sources have revealed that the main accused in the blast, a native of Shimoga in Karnataka, has been identified by the agency. Intelligence inputs suggest that the main accused, along with an accomplice, stayed in multiple locations in Tamil Nadu.
Earlier this week, the NIA had detained two suspects in Bengaluru who were found to be in direct contact with the suspected bomber. Despite extensive search operations across states, the bomber remains elusive. Authorities obtained CCTV footage on March 1, immediately after the blast incident, which provided crucial images and videos of the perpetrator.
Sources indicate that the bomber likely hailed from Tamil Nadu and stayed in a neighboring state for two months before carrying out the blast. Hair samples collected from the abandoned hat of the accused in Bengaluru have been sent for DNA testing in hopes of yielding a breakthrough.
The Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast, occurring on March 1 in Bengaluru’s Brookfield area, utilized a low-intensity Improvised Explosive Device (IED), resulting in injuries to nine individuals.
As investigations continue and authorities intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators, the NIA’s latest detentions mark a significant step forward in unraveling the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident.
