Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe reopened and welcomed customers on Saturday morning, almost a week after an explosion injured at least nine people. It was a heartwarming sight as the founders and employees of the cafe gathered at the beloved eatery to uplift each other’s spirits and move past the incident together.

“The attack on the cafe did not dampen our spirits. It only united us and made us fight back harder. The reopening today is our response to the attack. It also sends a message — that Indians will not be deterred by such attacks,” cafe’s founder Divya Raghavendra Rao said, reported The Indian Express.

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The cafe incurred damage from the attack, primarily affecting the area for handwashing. Minor damages were also observed on the cash counter, roof, and the cafe’s logo. Following the incident, security measures at the cafe have been enhanced. The cafe’s other founder Raghavendra Rao mentioned that their staff of 1500 members will now maintain a heightened level of vigilance and act as vigilant observers at all times.

Rao told ANI that the attack has prompted them to hire retired army personnel who will also train the staff to remain alert at all times. The cafe has also added two metal detectors and installed 25 more CCTV cameras. Encouraging fellow hotels and restaurants to contemplate the installation of metal detectors, Rao emphasized that cafe personnel have been instructed to promptly report any unattended bags in the ‘Lost and Found’ WhatsApp group for employees.

Applauding his employees, Raghavendra told IE, “One of them was bleeding after the blast. Still, he was determined that we should reopen the cafe the day after the blast. Such committed employees motivated us to restart our operations within a week.”

Pramod N, an HR specialist and frequent visitor to the cafe, expressed astonishment at the speedy reopening. He speculated that it might take some time for people to return in large numbers, as they did before, due to lingering security apprehensions.

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The explosion occurred at the cafe in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area on March 1 during the busy lunch hour, resulting in several injuries. Three days after the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the investigation into the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the NIA announced a reward to identify the suspect. The case was handed over to the NIA on March 3 after their team visited the blast site. Initially, the Bengaluru Police registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the blast at the cafe. CCTV footage revealed a suspect placing a bag inside the cafe before the blast occurred at 1 pm on March 1. The ongoing police investigation suggests that the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) with a timer.