This is an archive article published on March 2, 2024
Timeline of Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast: Suspect ordered rava idli at 11.30 am, blast at around 1 pm
A floor manager at Rameshwaram Cafe said the suspect ordered rava idli by purchasing token for the same and left a bag near the handwash area.
Written by Sanath Prasad
Bengaluru | Updated: March 3, 2024 11:30 AM IST
4 min read
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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. (Express photo by Jithendra M)
The HAL police station under the Whitefield division has registered an FIR in connection with the Rameshwaram Cafe IED blast in Brookefield on Friday afternoon in which several people were injured.
Here’s a timeline of events that unfolded on Friday:
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.
Around 11:30 am, the suspect, who is aged around 30 years, deboarded a BMTC bus and walked into the cafe for lunch. (Express photo)
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.
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Soon, Rajesh rushed to the place where the IED exploded, along with other hotel staff members, identified as Pasha, Rajesh, Basavaraju, Amit, Naveen, Basavanna, Hariharn, Shiva, Zia and Kapil.
#BengaluruRameshwaramCafeBlast | Visuals from the time of blast on Friday, captured by a customer.#Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara is set to hold a high level meeting with #CMSiddaramaiah and other top officials today.
“Later, when the complainant carefully inspected the place, all the tiles placed on the iron pillar of the balcony were torn off, iron bolts, washers and other things were scattered in the surrounding area, and there were blast marks on the wall and tiles of the balcony. Several places, including the roof of the hotel, were found to be damaged due to the intensity of the blast,” the FIR stated.
“On investigation of this incident, it was found that some miscreants had pre-arranged plans to plant a bomb in a crowded place such as the cafe with the intention of killing the public,” the FIR added.
“Several places, including the roof of the hotel, were found to be damaged due to the intensity of the blast,” the FIR stated. (Express photo by Jithendra M)
As per the preliminary investigation based on the CCTV camera, the suspect was wearing a cap, glasses and a mask. The suspect is believed to have carried a tiffin box bag kept inside a larger bag containing the IED and left it near the handwash area.
Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda said, “The investigation is in full swing and has been handed over to the City Crime Branch (CCB). Several teams are working on different leads obtained so far. All the injured are recovering. No arrest has been made.”
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Nine persons suffered injuries in the blast marked by a loud sound, fire and smoke. A 45-year-old woman suffered nearly 40 per cent injuries and is in ICU, while others suffered minor injuries and shock.
Bengaluru Blast Live Updates: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with a victim who suffered multiple burn injuries from the explosion that shook Bengaluru on Friday. (Express Photo by Jithendra M)
According to the FIR, the suspect has been booked under sections 15 (terrorist act) and 16 (punishment for terrorist act) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 307 (attempted murder) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with relevant sections of the Explosive Substance Act, including causing explosion likely to endanger life or property.
Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read More