A day after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) apprehended two individuals for their suspected involvement in an IED blast at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram cafe, G Parameshwara, Karnataka’s Home Minister, stated on Saturday that the investigative authorities are striving to determine whether the arrested individuals had any connections with other terrorist organizations.
Parameshwara further mentioned that the investigative agencies would verify whether the detained suspects were attempting to flee to Bangladesh. He expressed concerns about such a possibility, citing the apprehension that the accused might have been trying to escape to Bangladesh.
“We are investigating the true motive behind the blast and their association with other terrorist outfits (ISIS), given that these two (suspects) are believed to have been involved in the previous Shivmogga blast and were on the run for three to four days before being apprehended in this case,” Parameshwara remarked.
He also emphasized the possibility of the suspects intending to leave the country, given their arrest in West Bengal, a border state with Bangladesh. Parameshwara indicated that investigations would reveal whether there was any assistance from the Bangladeshi side.
Furthermore, Parameshwara commended the efforts of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the state police, expressing pride in their diligent work.
“Both the NIA and Karnataka State Police have performed admirably. Initially, we gathered all the CCTV footage and tracked one of the suspects, which facilitated their apprehension. Our police provided valuable information to the NIA, such as the cap worn by one of the suspects, purchased from Chennai, and the telephone number provided in the shop,” he noted.
Parameshwara expressed regret over the blast incident, emphasizing that both suspects hail from his home state of Karnataka and had studied together.
“Unfortunately, this incident occurred in Bengaluru, and both individuals are from Karnataka’s Shivmoga and were classmates, as I have been informed,” he mentioned.
Responding to the BJP’s characterization of West Bengal as a safe ‘haven’ for terrorists due to the suspects’ arrest in Kolkata, Parameshwara urged political parties to refrain from making such statements and instead collaborate in matters concerning national security.
“We should leave this matter to the investigating agencies at this time, and the BJP should refrain from making such political remarks,” he stated. “In cases where the country’s internal security is at stake, we must work together. We cannot afford to engage in conflicts; we must unite,” he added.
The two principal suspects in the Rameshwaram cafe blast, identified as Abdul Matheen Taha and Mussavir Hussain Shazeb, were apprehended by the NIA in Kolkata on Friday. Subsequently, they were presented before an NIA court in Kolkata and granted a three-day transit remand by the agency.