Bengaluru Rameshwaram cafe blast: NIA detains man who 'met' suspect
What's the story
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday detained a person linked to the Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, according to reports.
Identified as Shabbir, he was apprehended in Karnataka's Ballari district and is currently being questioned.
The Indian Express reported the detained person was the one who allegedly interacted with the key suspect in Ballari.
According to investigators, the suspect was last spotted on March 1 at the Ballari bus stand, nearly eight hours after the blast.
Context
Why does this story matter?
On March 1, a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) detonated inside the Rameshwaram Cafe in the city's Brookfield area, injuring at least 10 people.
According to reports, the IED was concealed inside a tiffin box bag and wrapped in some fibrous material.
It allegedly contained a combination of easily obtainable explosives like sulfur and potassium nitrate and was detonated by bulb filaments triggered by a digital timer hooked to a printed circuit.
Investigation
Investigation progress, suspect identification
The detention comes days after Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that investigators had "in a way" identified the suspect and are working to apprehend him.
He added that they are verifying the suspect's identity and are "getting closer to him."
The NIA, along with the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru Police, is investigating the blast at the popular eatery, which left 10 people injured.
Reward announcement
NIA announced Rs. 10 lakh bounty for information on bomber
To recall, the NIA last week announced a Rs. 10 lakh cash reward for information about the bomber.
The agency also released a picture of the bomber, taken from CCTV camera footage while placing a bag in the Rameshwaram Cafe.
They also assumed that the identities of the informants would be kept confidential.
The police probe so far has indicated that an IED device with a timer was used to carry out the explosion.
Political slugfest
Blast triggers political war of words in Karnataka
Meanwhile, the explosion has sparked political debate, with the opposition attacking the Congress-led government, claiming that the blast demonstrates its inability to deal with "terrorism."
Last Sunday, Parameshwara said the police investigating the blast are looking at a variety of factors, including terrorism, commercial rivalry, and potential intimidation of investors.
The police has obtained footage from 40-50 CCTV cameras and efforts are underway to identify the suspect, he added.