Bengaluru cops found explosives materials from tractor near school, two weeks after cafe blast

Bengaluru: Nearly two weeks after the horrific Rameswaram Cafe bomb blast incident, the Bengaluru Police confiscated gelatin sticks, electrical detonators, and other explosive materials inside the tractor compressor vehicle on Sunday (March 17) during a routine patrol in the Chikkanayakanahalli locality.

The development comes after Police Sub-Inspector Revanna Siddappa of Bellandur police station was patrolling towards Chikkanayakanapally. He noticed several labour sheds on the land in front of Chikkanayakanahalli Prakriya School, with a tractor compressor parked nearby. Upon searching the area, the police discovered gelatin sticks, electrical detonators, and other explosive materials inside the tractor-compressor vehicle, which lacked proper licensing and safety measures.

“The illegal and unregistered explosive items were seized and an FIR has been registered against the tractor owners. An investigation is underway,” said a police spokesperson.

Rameshwaram Cafe blast
The explosion rocked the Rameshwaram Cafe on March 1 during the busy lunch hour in the city’s Whitefield area which left nine people injured. The bomber was seen wearing a cap, black pants, and black shoes in the CCTV footage which also showed him keeping a bag in the cafe minutes before the blast.

The Ministry of Home Affairs handed over the probe of the blast from the Bengaluru Police to the NIA which re-registered the case and started an investigation. The agency released a picture of the suspect and also a video of him boarding a bus after the blast.

The case was handed over to the NIA last week following the visit of an NIA team to the blast site.

The NIA earlier announced a bounty of Rs 10 lakh for information about the bomber in connection with the blast at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram cafe.

Bengaluru Police had registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the cafe.

As Karnataka goes through its multifaceted news day, the implications of these developments are manifold. The Bengaluru blast investigation underlines the ongoing challenges of ensuring public safety in the face of threats, while the housing scheme initiative reflects the government’s efforts to address socio-economic inequalities.