At least nine people were injured after an explosion took place at Bengaluru’s popular eatery Rameshwaram Cafe in the city’s Whitefield area on Friday. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed that the explosion was not a high-intensity blast but an improvised one, adding that CCTV footage showed a man seen keeping a bag.
Rameshwaram Cafe Blast – Top Developments
-A blast occurred at the bustling ‘The Rameshwaram Cafe’ in the Whitefield’s Brookfield area at around 1.30 PM, during the busy lunch hour, injuring nine people, including two staff of the Cafe and seven customers.
-Initial reports said that the blast was believed to be caused by a cylinder blast, and four people were said to be injured. Those injured have been shifted to different hospitals for treatment.
-Soon after the blast, a team of bomb detection and disposal squad arrived at the Rameshwaram cafe. A team of forensics experts also reached the spot.
-Rameshwaram Cafe is a popular South Indian chain of QSR module in Bengaluru.
-Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has headed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
-Owner of The Rameshwaram Cafe, Brookfield, Divya Raghavendra Rao told The Indian Express that they have given access of all CCTV cameras to the police, adding that the bomb squad is also in the restaurant to identify the cause. She added that they are cooperating with the law enforcement agencies.
-After initial suspicions that the blast occurred due to a gas leak, the fire department ruled out that possibility and said a woman’s handbag was found at the spot. Forensic teams are trying to ascertain the actual cause of the explosion, reported PTI.
-Karnataka DGP Alok Mohan, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and other senior officials are inspecting the premises, which has been cordoned off. NIA and IB officials have been also informed.
TN Shivashankar, Director of Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services department told PTI: “At 1.08 pm today, the fire department received a call about LPG leakage fire in the cafe. When our officers and teams reached the spot, there was no fire or flame. A bag which was lying behind a woman who was sitting with six other customers at the eatery exploded. It is suspected that the explosion could have been caused due to some object in that bag.” He added that it is not clear whose bag it is.
He also ruled out the possibility of any gas cylinder leakage. The cop said, “I along with my team of officers inspected the spot. But there is no sign of any leakage from the gas cylinder. We have checked it. Another LPG gas cylinder inside the kitchen which was used for tea and coffee was also checked but there is no leakage from it as well. There is no sign of gas leakage from any cylinders at the spot as per our initial probe.”
-Edison, an eyewitness told PTI, “I was waiting outside the eatery for my turn when suddenly we heard a loud noise… an explosion. We got scared not knowing what it was. There were around 35-40 people at the eatery. They all started rushing out and there was absolute chaos. They started saying that a cylinder exploded. But we don’t know exactly what happened.”