Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe Blast Highlights: Days after blast, NIA to take over probe from Karnataka police

Bengaluru City police have arrested three persons for allegedly raising 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans. 

On 27 February, Congress workers with Syed Naseer Hussain, who was elected to the Upper House, were seen raising the slogans on the Vidhana Soudha premises. While some TV news channels telecast the video claiming that one of Hussain’s followers raised 'Pakistan Zindabad'. 

The police who had taken up a case were waiting for the FSL report.

A suspect in the bomb blast that took place at the Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on March 1, who has been seen on CCTV footage at the restaurant wearing a cap, glasses, and a mask, may have faked usage of a mobile during his 10-minute halt at the cafe, the police have surmised from analysis of the CCTV footage.

The suspect in the bomb blast who is yet to be identified is seen on CCTV using a phone while entering the cafe at around 11.40 am on March 1 and leaving at around 11.50 am – after eating a snack and planting the IED. The suspect is also seen pretending to be using his cell phone while being seated in a corner where a bag with an IED was left behind.

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Three girl students suffered third degree burn injuries on their face after a youth threw acid on them at a government pre-university college in the taluka headquarters town of Kadaba in Dakshina Kannada district on Monday, police said.

“The girls have been shifted to a private hospital after the incident, which took place when they were preparing for the Pre-University Course (PUC) exams sitting in the corridors of the college,” a police official said.

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BJP national president J P Nadda is set to begin a two-day visit to the Belagavi region of Karnataka on Monday.

The visit will involve multiple meetings with party workers, intellectuals, and others. The visit is a part of preparations by the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP does not have a formidable candidate in the region, which has been its stronghold, after the death of three-time BJP MP Suresh Angadi in 2020.

Bengaluru will witness mainly clear skies on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 33 and 19 degrees Celsius.

Days after the Rameshwaram Cafe blast, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday handed over the probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), news agency PTI reported quoting sources.

This comes after the Karnataka Home minister Parameshwara held a meeting with Bengaluru City police at police commissioner office on Sunday, saying that the police cannot conclude any specific terrorist outfit’s involvement in the incident.

"Our government wants everyone's welfare, peace, happiness and development of Karnataka. This will be our focus. We will not be distracted by these silly attempts to disturb peace. We will tackle it," Minister Sharan Prakash Patil told reporters in Kalaburgi.

In the wake of the blast in Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru on March 1, he said the Karnataka government's focus is on people's welfare, peace and happiness.

As many as 10 people were injured when a blast took place in the café on March 1. The accused is still at large while a hunt is on to trace him.

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra claimed there was a link between the 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan shouted inside Vidhana Soudha on February 27 and the blast in Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru on March 1, which left 10 people injured.

Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar said, "The BJP is exploiting the opportunity to gain political mileage. They are tarnishing the image of Bengaluru and Karnataka in the process. They may have forgotten things that happened during their term. I don't want to do politics over that, but they should introspect. At times like these, they should be aware of the nation's unity, integrity and peace."

On the status of investigation:

"The police have been given a free hand to investigate the blast case and they are investigating it. The government has taken a serious note of it and we will do whatever it takes to protect the reputation of Bengaluru. The police are looking into all possible angles. The police will do whatever it takes to find out the perpetrators."

Speaking to reporter today, Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Paramshwara who held the meeting with Bengaluru Police City Commissioner said: "We are continuing our investigation. Eight teams have been formed, and all are working in different directions, examining various aspects. We have collected several CCTV footage. We are exploring every angle, including any jealousy factor. I also appeal to the opposition to cooperate with us and not politicize this issue. We do not know if there is any connection with the Mangaluru blast. They have used similar material and the same technical system."

"Yesterday NSG arrived here. We will find the person. We had a meeting yesterday and briefed the CM. Today, I have called a meeting of all the senior officers. BJP should not issue negative statements," he added.

Speaking to the media in Chikkamagaluru on Sunday, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said: "We are yet to nab the accused, and the probe is underway. If required, we will think of handing over the case to NIA."

Though the Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast on Friday bore similarities to the pressure cooker blast in Mangaluru in November 2022 in the way the improvised explosive device (IED) was designed, it cannot be concluded that one specific terror outfit was behind both explosions, said Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday.

Parameshwara, who held a meeting with police officials on Sunday, said, “There was the usage of battery, timer and other devices and they had been designed in a way similar to the Mangaluru blast but we cannot conclude any specific outfit’s involvement.”

Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara on Sunday said business rivalry, impending elections and terrorising investors coming to Bengaluru in view of a stable government in the state are some of the angles which the police are working on to crack relating to the blast at a city eatery. The explosion took place at Rameshwaram Cafe in Brookefield in East Bengaluru on Friday.

A man wearing a cap, mask and glasses is the prime suspect in the case and is still untraceable, According to him, eight teams are working to crack the case and they are accompanied by the National Investigation Agency, National Security Group (NSG) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) are assisting the teams.

Parameshwara said one of the angles being probed was to see if it was to terrorise Bengaluru in view of the impending elections. "Elections are approaching. If any organisation is behind it, or if there are some other motives behind it to terrorise people to make Bengaluru look unsafe...," the Minister added.

"As many investors are coming here in view of a stable government, this might have been done either to stop investors from coming to Bengaluru or due to some other unknown reasons," Parameshwara said. The Minister said business rivals might have done it out of jealousy. That is one of the angles, which is also being discussed.

He said The Rameshwaram Cafe has 11 units and the owners were planning to set up their 12th unit, for which advance deposit was also paid. "We will crack it (the case). We will not leave it. However difficult this case may be, our department will bust it," he asserted. The Minister appealed to people to rely only on the statements issued by him, police and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and not on speculative ones. To a question related to a pressure cooker blast in Mangaluru on November 19, 2022, Parameshwara said there was similar assemblage of explosives and other equipment as was in the incident in Mangaluru but that comparison doesn't mean the same gang was behind the blast at Rameshwaram Cafe.

"The way the battery and timer have been used seems similar. We have to take it (investigation) forward. We don't know whether the same organisation did it or the same people did it," the Minister said. He also said it was a low intensity bomb as the explosives used were of low intensity and even the quantity might be less. If the quantity was more then the intensity would have been higher, he observed.

According to him, there could have been casualties if the bomb had gone off horizontally and not vertically. "I too visited...and saw bolts and nails there. They all went up. If they had gone off horizontally then many people would have got hurt. It could have caused deaths too. Luckily all of them went up...," Parameshwara explained. Speaking about the suspect, the Minister said police have procured about 40 to 50 CCTV footages.

"There is information that he came by a bus...26 buses passed there around that time. We went through all the 26 buses. We have found the bus in which he travelled. He was wearing a cap, mask and glasses. We are not getting clarity there as well," he said. PTI

Respondong to BJP demanding the reisgnation of Karnataka CM over the explosion at The Rameshwaram Cafe, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said"They want resignation? We will send them whatever resignation they want. They are just doing politics and spoiling the image of Bengaluru. They should look at a mirror first. If they are hurting Karnataka, they are hurting the country and themselves."

As the investigation into the Rameshwaram Cafe blast unfolds, home minister Parameshwara will hold a meeting with Bengaluru City police at police commissioner office at 11.30am today. Yesterday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaih chaired a crucial meeting with officials from the home department, high-ranking police officers, Home Minister G Parameshwara, IT/BT minister Priyank Kharge and other cabinet members. Seven to eight teams have been formed that are working on all angles possible, the government of Karnataka said earlier.

Based on the statements by KV Rajesh, who works as a floor supervisor at the cafe on ITPL Main Road, the FIR stated that around 11:30 am, the suspect, who is aged around 30 years, deboarded a BMTC bus and walked into the cafe for lunch. Around the same time, Hariharan, floor manager at the cafe, identified a person who ordered rava idli by purchasing token for the same and left a bag near the tree at the hand wash area.

Between 12:50 pm and 1 pm, a loud explosion was heard at the hotel’s handwash area which was also near the customer seating area. According to the FIR, smoke engulfed the hotel, and injured customers started fleeing the scene. The tarpaulin shelter attached to the window outside the hotel was torn, the hotel’s roof was damaged and the windows were shattered.

The Brookfield outlet of the Rameshwaram Cafe that was struck by an IED blast on Friday, will reopen its doors to the public from March 8, on the occasion of Mahashivaratri, co-founder and CEO, Raghavendra Rao said. He added, “we need all of your support… I request the government of Karnataka and India to make sure that this incident should not happen anywhere in India.”

"I want to convey my strong regards to people who have got hurt. I wanted to say that we are with them, their family. One woman lost her eyes, and we are there with her. We are with our staff, four or five people, who are hurt very badly. We need all your blessings to show what is the power of youth and to say we are Indians and we are no less than anybody," he told news agency ANI.

After a blast at Rameshwaram Cafe's Brookefield branche left 10 injured, the co-founder Raghavendra Rao has now said the popular eatery will open again to its cutomers on March 8, a week from the date of incident.

“As we face this challenging situation, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the authorities for their support. We firmly believe that no force can dampen the spirit of our nation. We have decided to reopen our Brookfield outlet within a week of the unfortunate incident, which is on the auspicious day of Mahashivratri, the 8th of March (Friday). We extend a warm invitation to all authorities and customers to join us for our reopening. Let us unite in solidarity and demonstrate that together, we are unyielding in our commitment to moving forward."

- Raghavendra Rao, Co-Founder & CEO, Rameshwaram Café

Ghee podi idli, ghee podi dosa and serpentine queues till 1 am: The Rameshwaram Cafe, rocked by an IED blast at one of its branches in Brookfield in the Whitefield area on Friday, is known for offering authentic South Indian delicacies to Bengaluru residents from dawn till a little over midnight.

The cafe is a premium South Indian chain of quick-service restaurants and is a trademark registered under the mother company Altran Ventures Pvt Ltd. What makes Rameshwaram Cafe unique is the tastes and the quality of the food – a combination of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka style- that is consistent across all the outlets.

Know more about the founders here 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaih chaired a crucial meeting Saturday afternoon with officials from the home department, high-ranking police officers, Home Minister G Parameshwara, IT/BT minister Priyank Kharge and other cabinet members in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe blast.

During the meeting, the chief minister urged the police officials to use technology to the fullest potential to investigate the case.

The blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe was reported around 1 pm when many employees, like Alankrit, from nearby IT companies were having lunch at the popular vegetarian restaurant.

Like any other day, Kumar went to Rameshwaram Cafe for lunch. “I went there about 12.30 pm and I had just finished eating idli and was about to eat dosa. My mother called me just to inquire how the day was going and also she was checking whether I had lunch. I had moved some 10-15 metres away from where the blast took and it saved me. It took me a while to come to terms that I remained unhurt,” he told The Indian Express.

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Based on the statements by KV Rajesh, who works as a floor supervisor at the cafe on ITPL Main Road, the FIR stated that around 11:30 am, the suspect, who is aged around 30 years, deboarded a BMTC bus and walked into the cafe for lunch. Around the same time, Hariharan, floor manager at the cafe, identified a person who ordered rava idli by purchasing token for the same and left a bag near the tree at the hand wash area.

Between 12:50 pm and 1 pm, a loud explosion was heard at the hotel’s handwash area which was also near the customer seating area. 

Find out more here

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah held a meeting with higher officials of the home department, Home Minister G Parameshwara, IT BT minister Priyank Kharge and other cabinet members today afternoon in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe blast.

The chief minister urged the police officials to use the possibilities of technology for investigation and to increase patrolling in crowded places.He also ordered strict monitoring of those spreading fake news related to the case.

Security has been tightened across Bengaluru, especially at Kempegowda International Airport, M Chinnaswamy cricket stadium, bus stands, railway stations and other areas which witness a higher footfall, following the incident in Brookefield's Rameshwaram Cafe on Friday.

The Bengaluru Police has registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the popular eatery.

After visiting the 10 injured persons currently undergoing treatment, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed confidence about nabbing the culprit involved in the blast at the city's The Rameshwaram Cafe, as his movement has been captured by the cameras.

He said it is still not known whether any organisation was involved in the incident at the quick-service eatery in Brookfield area in information technology corridor in east Bengaluru that left ten people injured, and the investigations are ongoing.

“There is a link between the Mangaluru incident and this one. This is what our police officers are saying. The material that was inside is similar. There is a link through the materials like the timer and other things. The police from Mangaluru and Shivamogga are here with the investigation. It is a low intensity blast with local materials,” Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru in-charge minister, said.

According to the Association, it will be convening a meeting with police officials, hotels owners and other stakeholders to discuss the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to maintain vigil in hotels.

Bruhath Bengaluru Hotels Association President PC Rao told The Indian Express that the association will be convening a meeting with police officials, member hotels and other stakeholders to discuss the SOPs to maintain vigil in hotels. “The incident is a wake up call for us and we must not let our guard down. We will convene a meeting with member hotels, police officials and other stakeholders on Wednesday to discuss the do’s and don’ts in hotels, review the SOPs and beef up security measures to avert an untoward situation. We are planning to have a zero tolerance approach against suspicious individuals and those who are loitering in the hotels henceforth.”

According to PTI reports, four people have been detained and are undergoing questioning in relation to the Rameshwaram cafe blast that.

The news agency further reports that the four were picked up from Dharwad, Hubballi and Bengaluru.

On explosion in Rameshwaram Cafe, Medical Director of Brookefield Hospital Dr Pradeep Kumar says, "... We are happy with the overall response of all the three patients admitted at our hospital. A patient in the ICU has had a post-operative turbulent period. As a result of her surgery and anesthesia effects, her BP was low and her blood sugar levels were high. Her overall condition is fine and showing signs of improvement... Psychological help to boost their confidence and overcome stress is also being provided to the patients... Other patients will be discharged in another 24-48 hours..."

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said to ANI, "Government will bear all the treatment charges of all the patients. Around 10 people are injured. Three are here in the Brookfield Hospital and six others are admitted in Vydehi Hospital."

He said, "There is a link between the Mangaluru incident and this one. This is what our police officers are saying. The material that was inside is similar. There is a link through the materials like the timer and other things. The police from Mangaluru and Shivamogga are here with the investigation. It is a low intensity blast with local materials."

(Express Photo)

After the Bengaluru Rameshwaram cafe blast on Friday, the Delhi police on Saturday levelled up security in the national capital, reported news agency PTI. District officials have been asked to step up vigil, especially in crowded areas like markets in Delhi.

Moreover, an official informed PTI that market associations have been informed to stay alert and in touch with their local police stations should suspicious acitivity be noted in their areas. The officials have further informed the associations to install CCTV cameras as per regulations.

The news agency also reported that bomb squads in the national capital have been asked to stay on guard.

Police have continued questioning people in connection with the Rameshwaram cafe bomb blast. 

Meanwhile, the security in Kempegowda International Airport has also been beefed up. 

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) officials have sought information from the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), as they suspect the key accused had taken the bus.

A day after a blast rocked the Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area injuring at least nine people, CCTV footage has emerged of the suspect wearing a cap, glasses and a mask, around an hour before the explosion occurred at 12.56 pm on Friday.

The man has emerged as a key suspect and police sources said efforts were being made to identify him, who had partially concealed his face. The suspect had entered the restaurant and had a snack before leaving. A tiffin box bag kept inside a larger bag that was left near the hand-wash area of the restaurant contained the IED that caused the blast, the police sources informed.

Continue reading.

Following the IED blast at Rameshwaram Cafe, Bruhath Bengaluru Hotels Association President PC Rao said that the association will be convening a meeting with police officials, member hotels and other stakeholders to discuss the SOPs to maintain vigil in hotels.

“The incident is a wake up call for us and we must not let our guard down. We will convene a meeting with member hotels, police officials and other stakeholders on Wednesday to discuss the do’s and don’ts in hotels, review the SOPs and beef up security measures to avert an untoward situation. We are planning to have a zero tolerance approach against suspicious individuals and those who are loitering in the hotels henceforth,” he said. 

While talking to ANI on Saturday morning, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah refuted any claims f the Mangaluru blast and Rameshwaram blast being related, as has been claimed by certain BJP workers. The CM also informed that he will be visiting the site and the injured at the designated hospital himself on Saturday.

On Friday, the day of the blast, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara paid a visit.

CM Siddaramaiah said, "A person wearing a mask and cap came in a bus, fixed the timer and exploded it. The deputy CM and Home Minister visited the spot yesterday. I will also go to the hospital and the spot today. I don't know if this is the work of an organisation or not. A serious investigation is underway. BJP should not play politics in this matter. Mangalore blast and Bengaluru explosion are not related. The blast is still under investigation. Appropriate action will be taken after the report."

(ANI report)

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be visiting the blast site today.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has taken up the investigation, and seven to eight teams have been formed, the sources said, adding, the suspect, carrying a bag, was wearing a cap and mask to hide his identity.

(PTI report)

The Karnataka police have intensified the investigation into the low intensity bomb blast at a popular eatery here, in which 10 people were injured, officials said on Saturday.

According to official sources, images of the suspect's movement have been captured by the CCTV cameras at the Rameshwaram cafe in Brookefield area and those nearby.

"We are positive about the leads we are getting in nabbing the culprit," an official said.

There are reports of a person being detained for questioning late on Friday night. However, there is no official confirmation on this.

The investigating teams are also looking at similarities between Friday's explosion and the November 2022 Mangaluru cooker blast, sources said.

(PTI report)

Swaranamba Narayanappa, a 45-year-old accountant from a multinational semiconductor firm, suffered the primary brunt of the low intensity blast caused by the IED planted at the Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru.

She underwent plastic surgery to treat the burn injuries she suffered on the right side of her upper body on Friday, and was therein moved back to an intensive care unit (ICU).

While speaking to ANI on the Rameshwaram blast incident, the Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar informed that the state will conduct a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other high-ranking officials at 1 pm today.

He further informed that a bus has been located via CCTV footage which is believed to be what the key suspect commuted on. 

He said to the news agency, ''We have constituted several teams. We have collected some evidence from CCTV footage. When the explosion took place, a BMTC bus moved on that way. We have information that he came on a bus. We will arrest the accused as soon as possible. Our teams are doing great. A timer was used for the blast, FSL team is doing the work. We have a meeting at 1 pm, CM Siddaramaiah will lead the meeting with high-level police officials regarding the blast..."

(ANI report)

?  While it was initially suspected that a gas leak could have triggered the blast, CM Siddaramaiah said it was an “improvised explosive” in a bag kept by an unidentified man.

?  A man wearing a cap, glasses and a mask, captured by CCTV cameras at Rameshwaram Cafe around an hour before a blast occurred at 12.56 pm on Friday, has emerged as a key suspect.

?  A team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths from the agency’s Bengaluru office is assisting the city police in investigating the blast. Another team of bomb experts from the National Security Guard (NSG) has been dispatched from Delhi to probe the nature of the explosive that was placed in the restaurant.

?  Preliminary investigations have indicated an IED with a bulb filament that was heated to act as a detonator – after being triggered by a digital timer — in a low-intensity device contained in a steel tiffin box. The filament detonator has been typically used by self-taught Islamic State (IS) operatives. IEDs have also been commonly used by Maoist insurgents, and Kashmiri militants.

? When asked if it was a ‘terrorist attack’, Siddaramaiah said the investigation is underway.

An IED is basically a home-made bomb. According to a factsheet by the United States Department of Homeland Security, “because they are improvised, IEDs can come in many forms, ranging from a small pipe bomb to a sophisticated device capable of causing massive damage and loss of life.”

IEDs can be deployed using a vehicle, carried, placed, or thrown by a person, delivered in a package, or concealed on the roadside. While they have been in used for over a century, the term “IED” first entered common usage during the United States’ Iraq invasion (beginning in 2003), where such bombs were commonly used against US forces.

Components of IEDs.

Multiple BJP leaders have held the Congress government responsible for the blast.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi said to ANI on Saturday, “If the Congress government had taken the Assembly incident seriously, this incident would not have happened today…Fundamentalists are getting support from Congress, hence all these things are happening.”

Meanwhile, state BJP president BY Vijayendra called for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's resignation and said, 'The investigation into this case should be handed over to NIA. The CM should take responsibility and immediately resign.'

BJP MP for Bengaluru South, Tejasvi Surya, also demanded a clear answer from the CM. 

BJP leader R Ashok also said to ANI on Saturday, 'After the Vidhan Sabha incident, this has happened after three days. The Karnataka government is indirectly supporting these incidents...Everywhere they have failed...Already, the FSL report has come to the state Home Minister, but they are not releasing it.'

Divya Raghavendra Rao, the MD and co-founder of the cafe, issued a statement saying the cafe is working in complete cooperation with the investigating agencies.

In a statement, she said, "We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident at our Brookefield branch. We are cooperating with the authorities and officials in their investigations. Our thoughts are with the injured and their families, and we are offering them all the support, assistance and care they need and praying for their speedy recovery." 

According to Karnataka's Deputy CM DK Shivakumar who visited the spot in the evening:

The accused’s facial features have been captured in the CCTV camera of the restaurant and the police officials have been given a free hand to apprehend the suspect. A

ccording to the preliminary investigation based on the CCTV footage, the man was seen with a bag containing low intensity explosives which was placed near a tree. “The accused had come for lunch at the restaurant. He had traveled by bus. He had placed a bag containing low intensity explosives near a tree. He had timed the bomb and at around 1pm the explosion took place. The explosion was very loud and about 10 have been injured. The entire episode including the facial features of the suspect has been recorded in the camera,” said Shivakumar. 

Divya Raghavendra Rao, founder and managing director of Rameshwaram Cafe speaking to The Indian Express said, “Immediately after the blast I received calls from the hotel staff and family members who informed me of the incident. There are a total of 150 employees working in the Brookfield branch. We didn’t have any security measures in the dining space, except in the rear end of the hotel where supplies and essentials are loaded. The area where the blast took place is close to the hand wash area and it is usually not crowded.”

She added, “We are cooperating with the Bengaluru police in all possible ways and they have full access to our CCTV cameras. I have been constantly checking the CCTV camera. It was not a cylinder blast as it was reported earlier as all the cylinders in the kitchen and the equipment are intact. All the victims were rushed to the hospital immediately after the blast and they are safe now.”  

Rao is currently in Hyderabad with her two-month old child and is gearing up for the launch of the cafe’s new branch in Hyderabad. 

Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot visited the ten who were injured in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast today.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi, Leader of Opposition R Ashok and BJP State President BY Vijayendra today were also present

- A statement issued by the city Police Commissioner's office said 10 people were injured in the blast.

- The bomb exploded between 12.50 pm and 1 pm, and a total of 10 people including hotel staff and customers were injured in the blast. However, there was no loss of life, it added.

- In this regard, a case has been registered at HAL police station under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 and the Explosive Substances Act.

- Forensic experts and a bomb disposal squad have visited the spot and are investigating, it said. 

Bengaluru city police in a press statement said HAL police have registered a case under sections of Unlawful Activties (prevention) act of 1967 and Explosives Substances Act.