BENGALURU: The alleged sketch of the Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast suspect, created by a Hyderabad-based artist, has been flagged as “unsolicited and distracting” by the police. The sketch was released a day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) released the suspect’s image and announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to the identification or arrest of the suspect.
Since Thursday morning, the sketch shared on various social media platforms has been circulating widely. The artist created the sketch independently and shared it with the caption, “Bengaluru Rameswaram Cafe Bomb Blast Case suspect imagination sketches based on CCTV footage. Hope it will be helpful @NIA_India,” tagging Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda, NIA, and the city police.
A senior police officer has labeled the activity as distracting and unauthorised. Referring to the sketch, which was shared at 11.34 am on Thursday and garnered over 4,500 views by late evening on ‘X’, the officer, who is part of the investigation, said, “When such images and sketches are shared multiple times it makes people believe they are authentic. This creates confusion among the public.”
During investigations, when the investigating team is unable to find any clues leading to a person, they often share whatever image they have with the public, seeking assistance in identifying the individual. He explained that as part of the investigation, during such instances, the investigating team is advised to circulate photos promptly. Delaying this action could provide the accused with an opportunity to alter their appearance.
However, when sketches portraying suspects from multiple angles are circulated, it creates a false impression of the individual. He added that people should only trust images that have been circulated by authorised investigation teams.
Another senior police officer said, “Such activities distract the public and impede the investigation. If the investigating team requires assistance with such sketches, they will follow protocol and utilise appropriate software and expertise to handle the matter.”
The “inaccurate” sketch may also put those who resemble the sketch in trouble, as the hefty reward announced could lead to innocent people being targeted, the officer opined.