Rameshwaram Cafe blast: NIA announces Rs 10 lakh bounty for information about bomber

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) announced on Wednesday a bounty of Rs 10 lakh for information about the bomber in connection with the blast at Bengaluru's Rameshwaram cafe.

The agency also emphasized that the confidentiality of the informants' identities will be maintained.

The agency also released a picture of the bomber, captured from the CCTV footage while keeping a bag in The Rameshwaram Cafe, a popular eatery in Bengaluru's Brookfield area.

In the picture released by the NIA, the bomber is seen wearing a cap, black pants, and black shoes.

"NIA announces a cash reward of 10 lakh rupees for information about the bomber in Rameshwaram Cafe blast case of Bengaluru. Informants' identity will be kept confidential," the NIA said in a post on 'X'.

In the post, the NIA also stressed that "any information leading to his (bomber) arrest shall be rewarded."

The agency has also requested to pass on the information through mail at "[email protected]," as well as two contact numbers: 080-29510900 and 8904241100.

The NIA declared the reward three days after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) handed over the probe into the case to the anti-terror agency.

The case was handed over to the NIA on March 3, following the visit of an NIA team at the blast site. The blast took place at the cafe on March 1 in Bengaluru's Whitefield area, where several people were injured following an explosion that occurred during the busy lunch hour.

Earlier, the Bengaluru Police had registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the explosion at the cafe.

The blast took place at 1 pm on March 1 and the police also found a suspect in the CCTV footage, keeping a bag inside the cafe. The police probe so far has indicated that an IED device with a timer was used to carry out the explosion.