Recent CCTV footage has surfaced, a week after the explosion at a well-known restaurant in Bengaluru. It shows the bombing suspect, who has so far managed to avoid capture. A group of NIA officers arrived in Ballari after receiving information that the suspect was travelling to northern Karnataka.
The suspect may have departed Bengaluru following the explosion by bus, as evidenced by CCTV footage showing sightings of the person at Tumakuru and Ballari. This could indicate that the culprit travelled to Kurnool area of Andhra Pradesh. The 350 mile travel is being monitored by investigators to see if anyone saw the suspect, and NIA teams are actively combing these areas, including Uttar Kannada, to try and find the culprit.
It is thought that the suspect—wearing a baseball cap—arrived at the Rameshwaram Cafe via bus route 500D. He entered the restaurant at around 11:34 am and left after nine minutes. While wearing a mask at the cafe, his entire face is visible in video taken inside a public bus, free of sunglasses, a mask, or a cap.
If the suspect changed his appearance while travelling, the NIA is looking into it. At least one person is being questioned by authorities at the place of worship where the baseball cap was allegedly discovered, some 5 km away from the cafe.
On Friday, the public is expected to reopen the Rameshwaram Cafe, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah may be present. Even though all relevant evidence has been gathered by the police, NIA, National Security Guard (NSG), and forensic experts, the precise spot of the explosion will be guarded while the rest of the restaurant is available to the public.
