NIA assists Bengaluru blast probe, police looks into SIMI angle

The government has called it a terror attack while Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said there was no intelligence failure. An NIA team is on the spot but the probe was not yet formally handed over to them.

The low-intensity blast took place at around 8:30 pm outside the  Coconut Grove restaurant on Church Street off MG Road.

Confirming it as a terror attack, Rajnath Singh said in New Delhi: "We have got many information. There are various observations. I cannot say which terror organisation did it now."

Bangalore police commissioner M N Reddi said they will beef up security in public places.

On whether the banned SIMI was behind the attack, he said all angles are being probed. He said there will be some restrictions on public gathering too during New Year.

Students Islamic Movement of India or SIMI is a banned organisation and media reports said some SIMI members who escaped from a jail in Madhya Pradesh last year could be behind it.

Junior Home Minister Kiren Rijiju has not ruled it out.

While three were injured, a woman identified as Bhavani Bala died in the blast. She had come from Chennai with her children on Christmas vacation, media reports said.

She went out with relatives for an evening stroll when the blast occurred and she was fatally wounded by shrapnel.

She was hit in the head and neck by shrapnel that caused severe blood loss. Bhavani died in hospital.

Sources said Bhavani and her children had visited Mysore two days ago. She reportedly was to return to Chennai on Sunday but had to stay back as she couldn’t get tickets.

The Karnataka government also announced Rs. 5 lakh compensation for Bhavani’s bereaved family.