Sketches of Rameshwaram Cafe blast suspect released, more CCTV clips of bus travel emerge

BENGALURU: A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) released a picture of the suspect in The Rameshwaram Cafe blast case and announced a Rs 10 lakh reward for information leading his arrest, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police have released an artist’s sketch of the suspect. Also, more CCTV clips of the suspect have emerged.

The sketch has been created by wellknown artist Harrsha and shows him with and without the mask. The CCB has been receiving numerous calls regarding the suspect since yesterday. The police have also found his cap, which he had thrown after getting off a bus, from near a mosque in Hoodi. It is suspected that he may have offered prayers and then discarded his cap.

He is also believed to have changed his clothes and taken different buses from The Rameshwaram Cafe to Kundalahalli Colony, ITPL and other places and may have bought a day pass instead of buying tickets on every bus. He was also spotted on a BMTC Volvo bus (KA 01 F 4517). The investigators believe that he may have travelled to Tumakuru, Ballari and Bidar and suspect that he may be a Hindi speaker from outside the state.

The suspect was also caught on CCTV cameras walking in Ballari and getting on to a bus at Sujata Circle in Tumakuru.

Meanwhile, the CCB police have dropped the business rivalry angle in their investigation into the blast and have come to the conclusion that the blast was indeed a terror act. They suspect that the man who planted the explosive was acting as a lone wolf who was being guided by a handler.

The cap was found discarded near a mosque in Hoodi, (right) The suspect caught on camera in Ballari.

The investigation so far has revealed that ammonium nitrate, the public sale of which is banned, was used to cause the explosion in the restaurant. Ammonium nitrate is usually used for blasting rocks in mines. The NIA and CCB police are now on the lookout for dealers outside the state who may have supplied ammonium nitrate to the suspect.