Bengaluru’s CCB forms seven teams to solve Rameshwaram Cafe bomb blast case; suspect still at large

CCB teams and their roles

According to police sources, two teams have been formed to find information. One is focused on gathering technical details of potential gadgets used by the bomber, utilising tower dumps. Simultaneously, another team is meticulously scouring CCTV footage around the Rameshwaram Cafe, tracing the suspect’s path from his arrival by foot.

The suspect — a person in his early 30s, wearing a white cap, a mask, and glasses — had taken a BMTC Volvo bus from Kundalahalli to CMR Institute of Technology and walked approximately 300 metres to execute the blast.

These technical teams are not leaving any stone unturned, collecting phone numbers from the specific tower location and scrutinising CCTV footage from all available angles. Although the suspect was seen with a phone while paying for his “rava idli”, the possibility of it being a decoy device is not ruled out by CCB officials. A few individuals briefly conversed with the suspect have been questioned and released after being cleared of any connection.

Police sources told South First that a third team, collaborating with the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), has identified similarities between this incident and a pressure-cooker blast in Mangaluru that occurred in 2022. This revelation suggests a potential connection between the two events, prompting the team to delve deeper into the accused parties and their associates. Coordination with authorities in Mangaluru and Shivamogga is ongoing to unearth any links between the masterminds of both incidents.

Also Read: Rameshwaram Cafe blast to be probed by Central Crime Branch

The fourth team of the CCB explored the angle of business rivalry, considering previous instances of abandoned bags at Rameshwaram Cafe branches. The team had questioned the Co-founder and CEO Divya Raghavendra Rao and her husband Raghavendra Rao, and had even sent a team to the neighbouring Telugu-speaking state to rule out the involvement of any possible business rivarly.

The fifth team is on the lookout for the bomber’s whereabouts, potential hideouts, logistics, and escape routes. The information network is activated, ruling out potential suspects one by one. The teams are also inquiring with undertrials arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to gather any leads on the bomber.

The six suspects, who are at present in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, were allegedly planning acts of vandalism and suicide attacks in various parts of the state, including Bengaluru. They were arrested and the NIA had even filed a charge sheet against eight people. The NIA in its charge sheet had mentioned that these suspects have associations with the Pakistan-based terrorist organistation Lashkar-e-Taiba, however, one of the CCB teams probing the bomb blast believes that the bomber may have associations with the Islamic State (ISIS) module. “Only after the arrest of the suspect can it be ascertained to which module he belongs,” a senior police officer told South First.

Teams six and seven are providing essential support to various agencies, including FSL, Bomb Detection, and Disposal Squad (BDDS), NIA, and National Security Guards (NSG) commandos. Their coordination ensures that findings are shared promptly, bringing authorities closer to identifying the suspect, police sources said.

Also Read: Bengaluru blast: CCTV footages help police trace suspect’s steps

Heightened security 

In response to this unsettling incident, the Chief Minister convened a high-level meeting with senior police officials to discuss heightened security measures throughout the state. Security checks have been intensified at airports, railway stations, bus stations, and even the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Central Bengaluru where the Women’s Premier League cricket match will be played.

As regards Rameshwaram cafe incident, investigation is in full swing. Several teams are working on different leads obtained so far. Keeping in mind the sensitivity of the case and the security concerns, media is appealed not to indulge in speculation and co-operate.

— CP Bengaluru ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಆಯುಕ್ತ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು (@CPBlr) March 2, 2024