City cops, who are probing the blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe on Kundalahalli Road in Whitefield on Friday, have deployed AIpowered facial recognition technology to identify the person who placed a bag containing the bomb inside the restaurant.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said: “The suspect has been identified. His facial features have been captured by CCTV cameras and the same is being matched using facial recognition systems to track him.”
Preliminary investigation revealed that the alleged bomber is man, aged 25-30. A senior police officer, who examined the footage captured by CCTV cameras at the restaurant and nearby areas, said: “He is seen getting off a bus right near the restaurant and walking into it (wearing a mask). He pays at the cash counter and obtains a token for rava idli. After eating the idli, he is seen leaving a bag near the dustbin and walking out. The time he spent at the restaurant is around 7 minutes.”
Almost an hour after his exit, the bomb was detonated using a timer.
Shivakumar said the CCB has been entrusted with the investigation and is hopeful of nabbing the accused within a day or two. Eight teams have been formed to identify and nab the suspect, Shivakumar said, adding, “They have already fanned out in different directions to track the accused.”
Shivakumar, along with home minister G Parameshwara, visited one of the private hospitals where the injured were being treated. “The govt will foot the bills of the injured,” he added.
Parameshwara said that the victims did not sustain any life-threatening injuries. Some of the injured have ruptured their eardrums due to the impact of the blast.
Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Union minister Pralhad Joshi went to Vydehi Hospital and Brookefield Multi-Speciality Hospital at night to speak with victims who were injured. He interacted with the victims and their families.
Suspect Caught On CCTV With Bag!
Ten people were injured as a result of the blast that took place between 12.50 pm and 1 pm on Friday. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosive Substances Act have been invoked by the police to deal with the attack.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) swiftly arrived at the scene to conduct a thorough investigation. The injured, which includes both cafe staff and patrons, are currently receiving medical attention.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged the public not to politicize the incident and called for cooperation in the ongoing investigation. The Chief Minister added that the blast might have been caused by an “improvised explosive” device.
The blast site was visited by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister G Parameshwara, and they provided vital information about the sequence of events that led to the explosion. “The blast occurred at 1 pm. 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. After one hour the blast took place,” Mr Shivakumar said.
Multiple teams are actively pursuing leads to identify the accused after the Central Crime Branch (CCB) took charge of the investigation. State Police Chief Alok Mohan labeled the incident a “bomb blast” but assured the public that no one sustained serious injuries.
Rameshwaram Cafe co-founder Divya Raghavendra Rao, said that the initial understanding following the blast was that it originated in the kitchen.
To gather evidence and determine the nature of the explosive device used, forensic teams are currently examining the scene. The area is still being searched by NSG commandos and bomb squads this morning.
