At least 9 individuals sustained injuries following an explosion at the Rameshwaram cafe in Bengaluru's Whitefield area on Friday, as confirmed by Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwara. Initially, suspicions arose regarding a potential gas leak as the cause, but the Fire department dismissed this possibility upon discovering a bag at the scene. Later, CM Siddaramaiah disclosed that CCTV footage indicated a man placing a bag in the cafe, categorizing the blast as improvised rather than high-intensity. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he clarified, "It is not a high-intensity blast but an improvised one." The nine injured individuals have been promptly transferred to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

The explosion, disrupting the bustling atmosphere of the cafe situated in East Bengaluru, unfolded around 1 pm, coinciding with the bustling lunch hour when nearby office crowds usually converge. TN Shivashankar, Director of Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services department, informed , "At 1.08 pm today, the fire department received a call about LPG leakage fire in the cafe. When our officers and teams reached the spot, there was no fire or flame. A bag which was lying behind a woman who was sitting with six other customers at the eatery exploded. It is suspected that the explosion could have been caused due to some object in that bag."

Forensic teams are currently engaged in determining the precise cause of the explosion. The injured parties have been relocated to various hospitals for treatment, including two staff members and seven customers, as per officials. With suspicions escalating, the police have dispatched a bomb disposal squad and forensic units to the scene to decipher the true nature of the blast, which is now believed to stem from a bag containing a potentially hazardous item.

Witnesses recount chaotic scenes as customers and staff scrambled for safety in the aftermath of the explosion, which rattled The Rameshwaram Cafe during the busy lunchtime rush. Videos circulating depict flames erupting and smoke billowing within moments of the blast, with one woman suffering severe burn injuries lying amidst the wreckage, underscoring the gravity of the situation.