Amid heightened security measures, Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru welcomed the public once again on a Saturday morning, nearly eight days post a low-intensity explosion that resulted in approximately ten casualties.
The incident transpired on March 1 at the cafe located in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area. During the reopening ceremony, Raghavendra Rao, the co-founder, along with the entire staff, participated in the National Anthem, ensuring stringent security protocols.
Raghavendra Rao expressed, “We are diligently implementing security measures to prevent any future occurrences. Our security team is being fortified, and efforts are underway to have ex-servicemen train our guards.”
In a prior statement on Friday, he mentioned, “All CCTV footage and information have been provided to the authorities, and we continue to cooperate with them. We are appreciative of the government’s prompt assistance in allowing the cafe to resume operations.”
Raghavendra Rao added, “The NIA will soon apprehend the perpetrator. Precautions have been taken before reopening, with guidance from the government and police on strategic CCTV placements. We will assign an individual solely for monitoring the premises.”
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh on Wednesday for any information regarding the bomber linked to the Rameshwaram cafe blast.
Emphasizing the confidentiality of informants’ identities, the agency also released an image of the bomber from CCTV footage, depicting the moment the bag was placed in the Rameshwaram Cafe, a well-known eatery in Bengaluru’s Brookfield area.
The NIA image revealed the bomber donning a cap, black pants, and black shoes, while stressing, “Any information leading to his arrest shall be rewarded.”
The reward announcement came three days after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) transferred the case investigation to the anti-terror agency. This transfer occurred on March 3 following an NIA team’s inspection at the blast site.
Before that, the Bengaluru Police had registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act concerning the cafe explosion.
The blast occurred at 1 pm on March 1, with the police identifying a suspect in the CCTV footage, placing a bag inside the cafe. Preliminary investigations suggest the use of an IED device with a timer in executing the explosion.