Rameshwaram Cafe blast: Man orders idli, flees leaving bag with explosives at Bengaluru eatery. WATCH

A low-intensity blast caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) shook the iconic Rameshwaram cafe in the Whitefield area of south Indian city Bengaluru during the busy lunch hour on Friday (March 1).

The blast injured at least nine people,Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told local reporters.Investigators combed through CCTV footage for vital clues.

"There's information that around 12.30 pm, there was an explosion. And that there was a bag. The investigation is on... I am getting to know that it was an IED. The investigation is on," Siddaramaiah said.

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Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister DK Shuvakumar told reporters that the suspected individual, aged 28 to 30, visited the cafe during breakfast, purchased a coupon for rava idli, but left without consuming it, leaving behind the bag containing the IED.

Shivakumar added that the bomb, equipped with a one-hour timer, detonated an hour later.

The police have filed an FIR under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act.

Watch the explosion here:

Trigger warning: Some viewers may find the footage disturbing. Discretion is adviced.

Sequence of events

The sequence of events unfolded as CCTV footage captured the suspect's actions inside the cafe, culminating in the planting of the bag with the explosive inside.

Eyewitnesses recounted the chaotic aftermath, with customersfleeing the premises upon hearing the blast, which occurred around 1 pm local time.

Emergency responders, including fire department officials, arrived at the scene, dispelling initial concerns of an LPG leakage fire.

The suspect is still at large, andauthorities have intensified their search, especially in Hyderabad, where they think the suspect might be hiding.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned the incident as a failure of police intelligence.

In response, the Karnataka government urged against politicising the mishap, highlighting a similar pressure cooker bomb blast in Mangaluru during BJP rule in 2022.

BJP's Member of Parliament from Bengaluru South, Tejasvi Surya, took to X to share that he spoke with the cafe owner regarding the factors contributing to the explosion, which resulted in injuries to nine people.

"Just spoke to Rameshwaram Cafe founder Sri Nagaraj about the blast in his restaurant. He informed me that the blast occurred because of a bag that was left by a customer and not any cylinder explosion. One of their employees is injured. It seems to be a clear case of bomb blast. Bengaluru demands clear answers from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah," Surya wrote on X.

What are IEDs?

An improvised explosive device (IED) is defined as a homemade bomb or destructive apparatus, which can assume various forms, ranging from simple pipe bombs to sophisticated devices capable of causing extensive damage and loss of life, according to a Homeland Security document.

These devices can be transported in vehicles, carried by individuals, delivered via packages, or concealed along roadsides.

Also watch |Blast at Bengaluru's popular Rameshwaram Cafe, probe underway

The term "improvised explosive device" emerged in the 1970s within the British Army, primarily in response to tactics employed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

The IRA used bombs constructed from fertilisers and SEMTEX, a general-purpose plastic explosive smuggled from Libya.

These materials were used to manufacture highly efficient booby traps and remote-controlled bombs.

The term gained widespread usage, particularly during the Iraq War in 2003.

IEDs are characterised by their low cost of production, ease of concealment, and simplicity in activation. They can be assembled using commonplace materials or chemicals readily available.

(With inputs from agencies)