After examining more than 1,000 CCTV footage and continuous investigation, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has traced two suspects in the March 1 Rameshwaram Café blast in Bengaluru, resulting in injuries to at least 10 individuals.

The NIA also established a connection between the Bengaluru blast and activities in Chennai. After meticulous scrutiny of over 1,000 CCTV footage recordings and a persistent investigation, NIA officials have identified two suspects. It has been revealed that these individuals resided in Chennai during the months of January and February. Investigation also revealed that a suspect involved in the blast used a fake Aadhaar and driving licence to stay at a lodging facility in Chennai with an associate, ahead of the incident.

A baseball cap that the suspect is seen wearing in CCTV footage during the nine-minute operation of planting an improvised explosive device (IED) at the cafe in the Whitefield region of Bengaluru has led investigators from the NIA and the Bengaluru police to Chennai where the cap was purchased in January.

One of Shazib’s accomplices was also identified by the anti-terror agency, as Abdul Mateen Taha, also a native of Thirthahalli. Taha was wanted for the murder of Tamil Nadu police inspector, K Wilson, and stayed with the main suspect in Chennai.

Sources said Taha was also a part of the ISIS module in Shivamogga. The same was confirmed by members of the module, who were earlier arrested.

Taha was also seen in CCTV footage where he had conducted recce of the cafe a day before the blast. According to the NIA, Taha always used to wear a cap which he had bought while he stayed in Triplicane. The suspected bomber, Shazib, was seen wearing the same cap on the day of the blast. The anti-terror agency found that these caps are a limited edition series and that only 400 pieces of the product were sold.

In CCTV footage, the NIA officials found Taha purchasing the cap from a Chennai mall. Following the blast, the suspect had dropped the cap at some distance from the cafe.

Upon investigation, it was revealed the cap was purchased towards the end of January from the mall. NIA had earlier announced the reward of Rs 10 lakh for providing information about the bomber in this case.

The NIA had posted a picture of the suspected bomber on ‘X’ in which he is seen entering the cafe wearing a cap, mask and glasses.

While sharing the phone number and email ID, NIA has said people can send information about this ‘unknown’ person. On March 1, at least 10 people were injured in an explosion inside Rameshwaram Cafe in Brookfield, East Bengaluru. It was suspected that this blast was done through IED. Soon after the blast, Karnataka Police had registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Explosive Substances Act. The Rameshwaram café was reopened under tight security a week after the blast.