Bengaluru blast suspect changed clothes, travelled by bus, sleuths pursuing leads: Home Minister

PTI, Mar 7, 2024, 4:14 PM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said sleuths investigating into the blast at the city’s popular eatery ‘The Rameshwaram Cafe’ last week have got certain “good leads”, as the prime suspect changed his clothes after the incident, and travelled by a bus.

He said the suspect is said to have travelled towards the district headquarters town of Tumakuru by a bus after the explosion, and officials are following the leads and verifying his movement till Ballari.

Investigation into March one blast, caused by an Improvised Explosive Device, at the quick-service eatery in Brookfield area in information technology corridor in east Bengaluru that left ten people injured, is being carried by the National Investigation Agency, which is being assisted by the Central Crime Branch of the Bengaluru police.

“We have got more important leads, as to the direction in which he (suspect) has gone and him having changed his clothes. Some information cannot be revealed. We have got good leads in the last couple of days. I feel that he will be nabbed at the earliest,” Parameshwara told reporters.

“It is known that he has traveled by a bus, based on those leads officials are following up. They have got important leads,” he said, adding that there are leads that the suspect travelled towards Tumakuru by a bus and officials were investigating it.

“Officials have checked footage, they have got certain leads. They are verifying from here till Ballari,” he added.

Meanwhile, new video footage of the suspect with a backpack, wearing a full sleeved shirt, cap, facemask, and spectacles moving in the bus has surfaced. From the video it seems that the suspect, after noticing the camera in the bus, moved to a direction where it does not cover him.

Also, an unverified photograph of the suspect wearing a T-shirt, without face mask, cap and spectacles, sitting inside the bus is also doing the rounds.

NIA has announced Rs 10 lakh cash reward for information about the bomber.