BENGALURU: A low-intensity Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off at The Rameshwaram Cafe, a popular restaurant located in Kundalahalli on the ITPL Main Road, on Friday at around 1 pm, leaving 10 injured. No fatalities were reported, but one among the 10 injured, a woman, has suffered 40 per cent burns.
The police have intensified the probe to trace the person, who placed the IED concealed in a bag at the restaurant and about an hour before the explosion. A high alert was sounded across the city following the incident and Central agencies, like the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB), have joined the probe with the city police.
The device is said to have been kept in a tiffin carrier placed inside a bag. A person, who took the token from the cashier and ate in the restaurant, placed the bag near a wash basin at the rear of the hotel and left. An hour later, there was an explosion, leaving 10 customers and restaurant staff injured.
Panic gripped Green Avenue opposite Kundalahalli Colony, where the restaurant is located, as people ran helter-skelter. The CCTV footage showed two explosions within a few seconds.
Initially, it was suspected to be a blast due to a leaking LPG cylinder, but after a thorough examination of the blast site, experts from the Bomb Detection & Disposal Squad and the Forensic Science Laboratory declared it a bomb blast as all the LPG cylinders were intact.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who visited the spot with Home Minister Dr G Paramaeshwara, said the suspect, aged around 30-35 years, came in a bus, entered the restaurant, ordered a rava idli, ate and left after keeping the bag... “An hour later, there was an explosion. We have clues about the suspect and 7-8 teams have been formed in the Central Crime Branch (CCB). The culprit will be nabbed soon,” he expressed confidence.
Alok Mohan, Director General & Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP) of Karnataka, told reporters that Central agencies have been roped in for the investigation.
BLAST near wash basin area caused Loud boom, smoke
The explosion site was filled with nuts and bolts and blood stains as several were injured. The roof of the restaurant was completely damaged. Smoke was visible for almost 500 metres. Incidentally, there was a smaller crowd compared to Saturdays or Sundays and most customers were IT professionals who had come for lunch. Ten, including senior citizens and women, sustained injuries in the blast.
The impact of the blast was so intense that a woman sustained severe burns. Two senior citizens, including a woman, sustained injuries after broken glass pieces of the restaurant hit them. Another woman, who fell unconscious, went unnoticed for a few minutes before she was tended to by the customers and was rushed to the hospital. A restaurant worker also sustained injuries. All injured are undergoing treatment in nearby private hospitals.
Ramesh, a security guard of the restaurant who has been working for the last six months, told TNIE that the explosion was so loud that he could not hear anything for some time. “The sound was unbearable. I saw people running helter-skelter. A few customers were badly injured. The blast happened near the wash basin area which is behind the hotel. All I could hear was a boom. I do not have any idea what was the source of the blast. Initially, we suspected that it could be a cylinder blast. We immediately reported the matter to the police,” Ramesh added.
Another guard, Sachin Lamani from Raichur, who was guarding outside the hotel, said he saw huge flames following the unbearable sound. Lamani has been working in the restaurant for the last three months. Another eyewitness, Mohan, said he heard the sound from a long distance. “After I came near the restaurant, I saw people badly injured and some of them severely bleeding.”
Divya Raghavendra Rao, Founder and Managing Director of the restaurant, said, “This was not a cylinder explosion. All our cylinders are secure inside the kitchen, and we have not identified any lapses in safety measures. We have granted the police access to all our CCTV cameras, and the bomb squad also checked the measures and the restaurant premises to determine the cause. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies.” She said, “Our thoughts are with the injured and their families, and we are offering them all the support, assistance and care they need and pray for their speedy recovery.”
The HAL police have registered a case under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act.
We have clues about the suspect and 7-8 Crime Branch teams have been formed. The culprit will be nabbed soon
—D K Shivakumar, Deputy CM
No gas leak: Cafe
Ruling out gas leak, the cafe’s MD Divya Raghavendra Rao said the cylinders are kept inside the kitchen. She said there was no lapse in security measures
will cafes be allowed to run till 1 am
The blast that rocked a cafe in Bengaluru has raised concerns among restaurant owners, who are now worried whether they will be allowed to operate till 1 am. This was permitted by the state government in the recent budget.