BALLARI, BENGALURU: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken into custody one person from Ballari in connection with The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case in Bengaluru. The detained individual has been identified as Shabbir and he has been taken to Bengaluru for further questioning.
According to sources, the suspect in the restaurant blast case had visited Shabbir, a resident of Tank Bund Road in Cowl Bazaar when he landed in Ballari and the latter had also helped him travel to Hyderabad. Shabbir met the suspect near the Ballari bus station and the two have been captured on CCTV camera.
While the whole bus to Hyderabad had booked seats, only two passengers travelled without prior booking. It is believed that the bombing suspect and Shabbir had travelled together and the NIA officials had also previously grilled the bus conductor.
Shabbir’s father was a constable with the district armed reserve (DAR) while he was working at a sponge factory. It is said that he didn’t mingle much with others. After returning from work, he would spend time reading the Quran and other religious books and would even offer namaz at home, his wife told the police.