Bengaluru Cafe Blast: ‘Don’t politicize’, asks Siddaramaiah as BJP calls out government for ‘insensitivity’
Nine persons were injured in a bomb blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe, a popular eatery in the city of Bengaluru, on Friday. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said investigations were on to determine the cause and nature of the explosion at the famous cafe in Whitefield area.
Rameshwaram Café explosion: Opposition BJP on Friday won Congress dispensation in Karnataka over the blast at a popular eatery in Bengaluru, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured that the perpetrators of the attack will be tracked down and brought to justice and urged the Opposition not to overlook the incident to politicize.
In a post on
“Deeply disturbed to hear about the Rameswaram Cafe blast in Bangalore. Praying for the speedy recovery of all those injured in the incident. The state government should order a detailed investigation and make every effort to arrest the perpetrators,” Vijayendra wrote.
The state BJP chief accused the government of downplaying such crimes and said it is “pushing the state into this chaos, making it a safe haven for anti-social elements.”
Vijayendra said the failure of police intelligence is also evident from this incident.
“We strongly urge the police to conduct a thorough investigation and root out these elements from the core, without giving in to any political pressure,” he added.
‘Do not politicize’
Meanwhile, CM Siddaramaiah, addressing a press conference, assured that the suspects involved in the cafe blast will be tracked down and punished, adding that opposition parties should refrain from indulging in politics over the incident.
“Camera footage from the cafe is being examined. It has become known that someone left a bag in the cafe. Those accused in the incident will be punished,” Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru.
The Prime Minister claimed that “several explosions have taken place in the previous governments too,” the Prime Minister said. “This incident has happened in our government. Disciplinary and strict action will be taken against those involved. There should be no politics in this matter.”
Citing sources, news agency ANI reported that a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team will visit the blast site in Bengaluru as per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
Bengaluru is safe: Shivakumar
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar assured the people of Bengaluru and said that investigative agencies are seriously investigating the matter.
“Our officers are investigating the matter, whether there was business rivalry or not, and whoever did this will be investigated. Whoever they are, there are videos, complete videos of almost 2-3 km that are being inspected by the investigating officers there. There’s nothing serious. Bengalureans do not have to worry about law and order. The situation in the state is fine,” he said.
BJP expressed concern and flagged security lapses
Opposition BJP, however, has expressed concern over the safety of citizens following the blast.
“Worried to hear about the mysterious blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Central Parliamentary Constituency of Bengaluru. My thoughts are with the individuals affected and their families. Authorities are urged to investigate and ensure the safety of all citizens. Stay safe, Bengaluru,” PC Mohan, the BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bengaluru Central, wrote on X.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who represents the Bengaluru South constituency, said the cafe’s founder told him that an explosion had occurred after a customer left a bag in the premises.
Surya, who is also the head of the BJP Yuva Morcha, said the people of Bengaluru are demanding answers from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
“I just spoke to the founder of Rameshwaram Cafe, Sri Nagaraj, about the blast at his restaurant. He told me the explosion occurred due to a bag left by a customer and not a cylinder explosion. One of their employees is injured. It appears to be a clear case of a bomb attack. Bengaluru demands clear answers from CM Siddaramaiah,” wrote Tejasvi Surya on X.
Café explosion in Bengaluru
Earlier in the day, a bomb blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe, a popular eatery in the city of Bengaluru, injured nine persons and police have launched an investigation from all angles after it emerged that an earlier suspected gas leak was not the cause of the explosion. .
Police suspect that a bag containing a possible improvised explosive device (IED) at the eatery could have exploded even as the NIA and IB have been informed of the case. Officials from the NIA local unit later reached the spot.
Shoot footage at the Rameswaram Cafe in Bengaluru, Karnataka. At least ten injured. NIA takes over the investigation #BengaluruBlast #rameshwaram pic.twitter.com/Ca59wJ7ZY7
— Sudhakar Udumula (@sudhakarudumula) March 1, 2024
CM Siddaramaiah said investigations have been carried out to determine the cause and nature of the explosion at the popular Rameshwaram Cafe in Whitefield, adding that it could have been caused by an “improvised explosive” device.
The incident should not be politicized and everyone should cooperate, Siddaramaiah said, adding that strict action would be taken against those involved.
State police chief Alok Mohan described the explosion as a “bomb blast” and said no one was seriously injured.
“At 1 p.m. a bomb attack took place in the hotel (cafe), nine people were injured and no one seriously. We are investigating. FSL (forensic) teams have come and are checking. The city’s police chief and other officers are on the scene. We will definitely identify who did it,” he said after visiting the site.
(With input from agencies)