Rameshwaram Cafe Blast: NIA Arrests Key Conspirator Who Provided Logistics Support to Main Accused

Bengaluru: In a major update in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested one of the key conspirators on Wednesday. The co-conspirator, identified as Muzammil Shareef, was arrested after a massive search raid by NIA teams. The NIA findings have revealed that Muzammil Shareef provided logistical support to the two main accused in the case, Mussavir Shazeeb Hussain and Abdul Matheen Taha.

The search operations by NIA were carried out at 18 locations, including 12 in Karnataka, five in Tamil Nadu and one in Uttar Pradesh. The raids were conducted today at the houses of all the three accused, and also at the houses and shops of the other suspects. The NIA also seized cash and digital devices during the searches.

Rameshwaram Cafe Blast main accused still on the run

NIA had identified the main accused of the Rameshwaram Cafe Blast as Mussavir Shazeeb Hussain, who had entered the iconic cafe in the guise of a customer and carried out the blast on March 1, 2024. The investigation agency also identified a co-conspirator, Abdul Matheen Taha. 

As of March 28, both Hussain and Taha are absconding and search operations are on to nab them at the earliest.

The low-intensity improvised explosive device (IED) blast at Rameshwaram Cafe’s Brookefield outlet was identified as a terrorist attack after first being thought of as a cylinder blast. The cafe in Bengaluru suffered damage to property after the blast and some customers were injured.