1. The NIA arrested the main suspect of the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru from West Bengal.
2. The accused, who had been on the run, were apprehended from their hideout in Kolkata.
3. The arrest followed coordinated efforts between Central intelligence agencies and police personnel from multiple states.
Kolkata, April 12: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) apprehended the main suspect of the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru from West Bengal. Arrested from their hideout in Kolkata, the accused had been on the run.
Mussavir Hussain Shazib planted the IED at the cafe, while Abdul Matheen Taha orchestrated the blast. Both are wanted in a 2020 terrorism case. The NIA stated that Abdul Matheen Taha was associated with the Bengaluru Module of ISIS — Al Hind.
According to the NIA, the accused had assumed false identities to evade capture. They were apprehended in a coordinated operation involving central intelligence agencies and police from West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.
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On March 29, the anti-terror agency released the photographs and details of the two accused, offering a reward of Rs 10 lakh for information leading to their arrest.
According to the agency, Shazib was using the name ‘Mohammed Juned Sayed’ to conceal his identity, while Taha was using Hindu identity documents and a forged Aadhar card with the name Vignesh.
In the previous month, the NIA apprehended Muzammil Shareef, a resident of Chikkamagaluru, for allegedly providing logistical support to the primary suspects.
The blast at the renowned cafe in Bengaluru’s Brookefield area resulted in injuries to at least 10 individuals.
