Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe reopens eight days after blast

The Rameshwaram Cafe, located in Bengaluru, Karnataka, welcomed back customers on Saturday morning, approximately a week after an explosion occurred, causing injuries to at least ten individuals. This incident unfolded on March 1 at the cafe situated in Bengaluru's Whitefield district.

The renowned cafe opened its doors to the public on Saturday morning, with stringent security measures in place. A lengthy queue of customers eagerly awaited outside the establishment.

Prior to the cafe's reopening, co-founder Raghavendra Rao and the entire staff gathered to sing the National Anthem.


Renovations were conducted at the cafe to enhance customer safety.


"We are taking all the security measures to avoid such incidents in the future. We are strengthening our security team, and are also trying to have a panel of ex-servicemen to train our security guards," Raghavendra Rao said while speaking to ANI.

Earlier on Friday, Raghavendra Rao told ANI, "We have given all CCTV footage and information to the authorities. We are cooperating with them. We are very thankful to the government for helping us reopen the cafe so soon."

"NIA will soon bring the culprit before us. We have taken all precautions before reopening. The government and police have guided us on where to install more CCTVs. We will appoint one person just to keep watch on the premises," he said.

Rameshwaram Cafe Blast: Rs 10 lakh bounty
On Wednesday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to the identification of the individual responsible for the explosion at the Rameshwaram cafe.

The organization stressed the preservation of informant identities' confidentiality. Additionally, they unveiled a photograph of the bomber, taken from CCTV footage as they placed a bag in Rameshwaram Cafe, a renowned establishment in Bengaluru's Brookfield district.

The NIA released a photo showing the bomber wearing a cap, black pants, and black shoes. They also emphasised that any information leading to the bomber's arrest would be rewarded.

Three days after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) transferred the investigation into the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the NIA announced the reward. The transfer occurred on March 3, subsequent to a visit by an NIA team to the blast site.

The explosion occurred at 1 pm on March 1, and authorities identified a suspect in CCTV footage placing a bag inside the cafe. Initial investigations suggest that the explosion was caused by an IED device equipped with a timer.