A massive explosion occurred at the Rameshwaram Cafe in east Bengaluru on Friday.
The incident took place between 01:30 PM and 02:00 PM. At least 11 people are reported to be injured so far.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirms that the explosion was not a cylinder blast but a Low-Intensity Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
A total of nine persons were injured in the incident, including a woman who sustained 40 percent burns.
The confirmation came hours after the blast at the popular cafe at the heart of Bengaluru sent a shockwave to the IT capital of India. Siddaramaiah confirmed that the device was kept inside the bag of a customer.
An employee of an IT firm, Swaranamata Narayanappa, aged around 40, was a customer at the restaurant. Two staff members – Farooq Hussain and Dwipanshu – are also among those who suffered injuries, said a police officer.
“The incident took place around 12.45 pm and we do not know what exactly happened, but there was an explosion in the customer area”, a staff member said.
“A lady who was seated closest to the place where the blast occurred suffered burns,” another hotel employee Rashid Hussain said.
Divya Raghavendra Rao, founder and managing director of Rameshwaram Cafe, said, “This is not a cylinder explosion. Some eyewitnesses told me that a bag was kept near the handwash area of the restaurant. Following this, two blasts occurred between 1 to 1.30 pm. All our cylinders are safe inside the kitchen and no lapses have been identified. One customer and three of our staff members have been injured and we are taking care of their expenses.”
She added, “We have given access to all our CCTV cameras to the police. The bomb squad is also in the restaurant to identify the cause. We are cooperating with the law enforcement agencies.”
Sabareesh Kundhanahalli, a businessman, said, “We heard a blast at around 1.05 pm and I stepped out to see that the cafe was engulfed with smoke. Some locals and I managed to help five-six burn victims and sent them to nearby hospitals. The fire engine arrived only 30 minutes later. There was no fire, only smoke.”
Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan and Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayanand visited the spot and took information from investigating officials.
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said, “Just spoke to Rameshwaram Café founder Sri Nagaraj about the blast in his restaurant. He informed me that the blast occurred because of a bag that was left by a customer and not any cylinder explosion. One of their employees is injured. It seems to be a clear case of a bomb blast. Bengaluru demands clear answers from the CM.”
