NIA takes over probe into Bengaluru blast

The anti-terror federal probe agency NIA has taken over the probe into Bengaluru's The Rameshwaram Cafe blast, as it has registered an FIR of its own following a direction given to it by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), officials said. The officials said the case has been handed over to the NIA by the MHA after a team of the federal anti-terror probe agency visited the blast site last week. This development also comes a day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his government might consider handing over the probe to the NIA if the need arose. The suspected act of terror (low-intensity blast) took place at the cafe on March 1 in Bengaluru’s Whitefield area, where several people were injured in the explosion that took place during the busy lunch hour. The police had also found a suspect in the CCTV footage, who kept a bag inside the cafe. As per the initial investigation conducted by the police, an IED device with a timer was used to carry out the explosion.