Condemning the Bengaluru blast that killed a woman and injured three others, Home Minister Rajnath Singh that the Centre is working in close coordination with Karnataka government. “Within 24 hours, the report will be complete and we will decide our future course of action,” he said.
While providing all assistance to the state government, he also appealed the government to install CCTV cameras for 24×7 surveillance in the city. “I would suggest the state government should install CCTV cameras at all sensitive places in Bangalore,” he said.
Singh refused to comment on the reason behind the attack and added that the investigations are currently underway. “Decision of an investigation by the National Investigating Agency will be taken after collecting the evidence. If required then NIA will take over the probe,” he assured.
“There is a possibility,” said junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju, when asked whether five terror suspects – said to be members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India or SIMI who escaped from a jail in Madhya Pradesh in 2013 – could be involved in the blast, that killed a woman and injured three men.
Mr. Rijiju’s senior, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the elite National Investigation Agency or NIA would, “if required,” probe the blast.
The low-intensity blast occurred just after 8:30 pm outside the popular Coconut Grove restaurant on Church Street off MG Road, which was packed with Sunday evening crowds. No one has claimed responsibility for the blast as yet.
Police said the improvised explosive device – filled with ammonium nitrate and fitted with a timer device – had been hidden among plants outside the restaurant.
38-year-old Bhavani, a resident of Chennai on vacation in Bangalore, was walking past the restaurant when the bomb went off. Shrapnel hit her head and neck and she died soon after being taken to the hospital.
Her relative, Karthik, suffered minor injuries and is in stable condition now. Two other people were hit in the legs with shrapnel. The men – Vinay and Sandeep – are undergoing treatment at the HOSMAT hospital.
The Home Minister today asked the state government to install CCTVs in all key places in the city.
Police will ask restaurants to close by 1 am on New Year’s Eve in view of the blast. “We have stepped up our vigil and intensified patrolling across the city to prevent further incidents in view of New Year’s Eve festivities,” said Bangalore Police Commissioner MN Reddi.
