BENGALURU: A day after the bomb blast at Rameshwaram Cafe's Brookfield outlet in Bengaluru, police officers investigating the case have zeroed in on the suspect aged between 30 and 35 after analysing the CCTV footage. The case has been handed over to the Central Crime Branch (CCB) for investigation under ACP Naveen Kulkarni.
In the footage, the alleged bomber is seen wearing a shirt, black trousers and black shoes. Carrying a black backpack and holding a cellphone with his left hand, the suspect entered the cafe at 11.34 am and left by 11.50 am. The suspect was seen ordering food at the cash counter of the cafe by paying cash. After eating rava idlis, he was seen hurriedly leaving the cafe after placing the bag containing the IED near the wash basin closet.
According to sources, the accused had taken enough precautions to conceal his identity by wearing a cap and a mask. He is said to have set the timer of the IED at 12.55 pm so that he had enough time to leave the city and target more people as it was lunch time.
Meanwhile, the police suspect that the alleged bomber might be part of an organised gang that had done a recce of the place earlier.
The investigating officers are probing all angles, including a possible business rivalry.
Meanwhile, officers from NIA and FSL collected evidence from the blast site. A battery, detonator and wires were found at the spot.
ACP Kulkarni, who will oversee further investigations, had arrested five suspected terrorists in Hebbal police limits in July last. Sophisticated arms and ammunition and explosives were recovered from them.
It is said that the investigating officers are questioning four suspects in connection with the cafe blast case at an undisclosed location. Eight CCB teams have been formed to nab the accused.
A search is on for the accused in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Meanwhile, security has been tightened at prominent places.
The Brookfield outlet will be reopened on March 8, said the co-founder and CEO of the popular city eatery. Ten people, including staff and customers at the cafe, sustained injuries but they are all recovering, police said.
