NIA arrests two suspects, including mastermind, of Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast

The National Investigation Agency has detained two main suspects in the Bengaluru Rameshwaram cafe blast case. According to reports, the suspects were picked from West Bengal.

The detained suspects have been identified as bomber Mussavir Hussain Shazib and his accomplice Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa. NIA said they were traced to their hideout near Kolkata and apprehended.

NIA had announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh for information on them.

Shazib was the one who placed the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the cafe and Taahaa was the mastermind behind the planning and execution of the blast, the officials said.

"In the morning hours of April 12, 2024, NIA was successful in tracing the absconding accused near Kolkata where they were hiding under false identities," an official said.

This pursuit was supported by coordinated action and cooperation among the NIA, central intelligence agencies and the state police agencies of West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala, the official added.

The NIA had last month announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh each for information leading to the arrest of these two accused.

An IED explosion rocked the cafe located on ITPL Road, Brookefield, Bengaluru, on March 1.

The NIA took over the probe on March 3.

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