Five persons detained for questioning let off as they yielded no substantial clues

Bengaluru: Two days have elapsed since the explosion at Rameshwaram Café in Bengaluru, located in the Brookfield area of Whitefield — a bustling neighbourhood known for its commercial activities and as a technology hub. However, the Police investigation into the incident seems to have hit a roadblock.

The Central Crime Branch has taken over the investigation and has intensified its probe into the incident that took place on Friday, injuring 10 persons. Equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Police have been reviewing footage from hundreds of cameras situated across the IT corridor. However, despite these efforts, the Police are yet obtain any leads that could potentially lead to the identification of the suspect.

Sketch prepared

According to CCTV footage, the suspect appears to be a tall, athletic man aged between 30 to 40 years. He is observed wearing a white cap and a black face mask, along with carrying a black backpack. Police have used image-enhancing technology and have prepared a sketch of the suspect. Sources indicate that the investigation has stalled as investigative teams struggle to track the movements of the suspect. Despite attempts to trace the suspect’s mobile phone tower location and phone dump analysis, significant breakthroughs have proved elusive.

Although the suspect was identified through CCTV footage from the café, authorities are yet to gather any substantial information about him. It remains unclear whether he was already under investigation by any law enforcement agencies. Moreover, Police face a major challenge in tracing the suspect’s movements prior to entering and leaving the café, extending beyond a  radius of approximately one to two kilometres.

Five persons let off

According to sources, the suspect appears to be highly skilled, possibly trained & capable of employing various modes of transportation, changing attire and swiftly navigating areas with minimal CCTV surveillance coverage. Yesterday, 5 individuals were detained for questioning, with Police picking them up from Dharwad, Hubballi and Bengaluru. However, recent updates from Bengaluru indicate that the Police have released all those detained, as questioning failed to yield any substantial evidence.

During the interrogation, the Police questioned the detainees about potential connections with the primary suspect, information regarding the suspect’s whereabouts, possible involvement in the Bengaluru riots and links to terrorist organisations. As the questioning did not produce any significant leads, the Police released them, reports added.

50 CCTV cameras

Meanwhile, Home Minister  Dr. G. Parameshwara told reporters in Bengaluru today, “We have obtained footage from all available cameras, numbering at least 40-50. It has been reported that the suspect used a bus for transportation.”

“During the time of the explosion, approximately 26 buses passed through the area. We meticulously examined the footage from all 26 buses and successfully identified the bus he boarded. However, the suspect was wearing a cap, sunglasses and a mask, making it difficult to discern his identity. Further technical details cannot be disclosed at this time,” he added.