In a significant breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced the arrest of two individuals suspected of plotting and executing the blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru last month. The suspects, identified as Mussavir Hussain Shazeb and Abdul Matheen Taha, were apprehended from Kanthi in Bengal’s East Midnapore district following a joint operation involving central intelligence agencies and police from several states.
According to available evidence, Shazeb is believed to have planted the explosive device concealed inside a backpack at the crowded eatery, while Taha played a role in planning the attack and facilitating their escape. This development marks the second and third arrests in the case, with Muzammil Shareef being previously taken into custody for providing logistical support to Shazeb and Taha.
Hailing from Karnataka’s Shivamogga district, the whereabouts of Shazeb and Taha were traced to Kanthi after extensive searches conducted across multiple locations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.
The explosion at Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1 resulted in injuries to ten individuals, including both customers and staff. Fortunately, there were no fatalities as the bag containing the explosives was placed in a less densely populated area, mitigating the impact of the blast.
In the aftermath of the incident, the NIA circulated photos and videos of the suspects captured by CCTV cameras across Bengaluru. One such clip depicted the accused, donning face masks, boarding a bus approximately an hour after the explosion.
The NIA had offered a reward of ₹10 lakh for any information leading to the arrest of each suspect, and had extensively interrogated their acquaintances, including friends from college and school.
Following the reopening of Rameshwaram Cafe eight days after the blast, co-founder Raghavendra Rao emphasized the implementation of enhanced security measures, including the deployment of metal detectors. Additionally, plans are underway to establish a dedicated team of ex-servicemen to train security personnel across all branches of the cafe.
Prior to the NIA’s involvement, the Bengaluru Police had registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion, highlighting the severity of the incident and the concerted efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.
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