A 10-member National Investigation Agency (NIA) team is pursuing the prime suspect in the Bengaluru cafe blast case in north Karnataka’s Kalaburagi, said officials aware of the matter, who added that the anti-terror unit is scaling up operations to bring in the man who has now been at large for 10 days.
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NIA officials on Friday said the suspect had been spotted in Ballari district, roughly 310km away from Bengaluru. A senior officer on Sunday said the man had then been sighted at a bus stand in Ballari, likely to Kalaburagi, which is a further 300km north.
The officer cited above said they received information that two unidentified individuals were seen interacting with the suspect at the bus stand, adding that a specific Karnataka Road Transport Corporation bus is under the scanner.
“Bus KA-32-F-1885 set off from Kalaburagi Depot No 1,” said the officer.
“Two unreserved seats on this bus were occupied by individuals who alighted at Ram Mandir Circle and the Central Bus Stand respectively in Kalaburagi late on March 1,” said the officer.
Additional NIA teams have procured surveillance camera footage from Kalaburagi Railway Station and its surrounding areas, including Ballari and Humnabad.
Kalaburagi police chief R Chetan confirmed that the NIA team had arrived in the district, but said the team had not shared any information about the investigation with the local police.
NIA took over the probe into the blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe on March 4, three days after the low-intensity explosion rocked a branch of the popular restaurant in eastern Bengaluru’s Brookefield.
The ministry of home affairs (MHA) handed over the investigation to NIA, which was already assisting the state investigation teams, they added.
The anti-terror agency has also released four new images of the suspect as part of attempts to help identify the man. These images, captured at Ballari bus stand, depict the suspect without a cap, unlike previous images. NIA has offered a ₹10 lakh reward for credible information that may lead to the suspect’s arrest.
Further, in light of concerns that the suspect may attempt an escape via coastal routes, NIA has sought heightened security in coastal areas. It has also begun checking boats to prevent potential escape attempts.
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Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said the prime suspect changed his clothes after the incident and travelled by bus. He said the suspect first headed towards Tumakuru town by bus.
Earlier, the Bengaluru police had registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act.
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