In a major breakthrough in The Rameshwaram Café blast case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said the bomber had been identified as Mussavir Shazeeb Hussain and the key conspirator in the case as Abdul Matheen Taha, both residents of Thirthahalli, Shivamogga district, Karnataka, in their late 20s and wanted by security agencies in multiple terror cases. The duo, still on the run, are also accused of being the masterminds of Mangaluru Cooker Blast case of November, 2022.
Meanwhile, NIA sleuths have arrested one Muzzamil Shareef, a resident of Chikkamagaluru town, for “extending logistic support to the other two identified accused in the case.” This is the first arrest in the case. This comes after NIA teams raided 18 locations, including 12 in Karnataka, five places in Tamil Nadu and one in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.
An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted at The Rameshwaram Café, Brookfield, Bengaluru during lunchtime on March 1. The explosion left nine injured. It was suspected that the Thirthahalli module could be behind the attack due to similarity in timer and detonator devices used in the IED at the restaurant and in the cooker blast. Now, the NIA has also pointed fingers at the same module.
NIA had issued notices to several suspects from both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, whom they raided on Wednesday, to appear before the agency for questioning on Thursday. Of them, they arrested Muzzamil Shareef, sources said.
“Raids were conducted on Thursday at the houses of all these three accused, as well as the residential premises and shops of other suspects. Various digital devices were seized during the searches, along with cash. Efforts are on to nab the absconding accused and unearth the larger conspiracy behind the blast,” NIA said on Thursday.
