Bengaluru blast: NIA announces Rs 10 lakh reward for information about suspected bomber
The National Investigation Agency, which has released a screengrab of the suspect, said that the identity of any informants will be kept confidential.
The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday announced a Rs 10 lakh reward for information on the suspected bomber in Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe blast case.
At least 10 persons, including restaurant staff and customers, were injured after a suspected improvised explosive device went off in the cafe on Friday afternoon. No arrests have been made in the matter so far.
The National Investigation Agency has released a screengrab of the suspected bomber on social media platform X, adding that the identity of any informants will be kept confidential. The screengrab shows the suspect wearing a cap and glasses and carrying a bag.
On Tuesday, the central agency began its investigation of the explosion on the direction of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, The Times of India reported. It registered a first information report in connection with the explosion on Monday.
The first information report has been registered on the basis of a provision in the National Investigation Agency Act that allows the Union government to order the National Investigation Agency to register a suo motu case without a referral from state governments, The Indian Express reported.
The Bengaluru Police had earlier registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act in connection with the explosion.
The police said that the suspected explosive device went off between 12.50 pm and 1 pm.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, after visiting the site of the blast and the injured persons at the hospital, said that the suspect appeared to have used a timer so that the explosion would take place an hour after he placed a bag at the site.
“A young man of about 28-30 years came to the cafe, purchased rava idli at the counter, placed the bag near a tree [adjacent to the cafe] and left,” he said. “After one hour the blast occurred.”
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that strict action would be taken against those involved and that the blast should not be politicised.