NIA Offers Reward for Bengaluru Cafe Blast Suspects

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is offering a reward of Rs 10 lakh each for information leading to the capture of two suspects linked to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru.

The agency has issued a statement urging citizens to provide any information about Mussavir Hussain Shazib, also known as Shazeb, and Abdul Matheen Ahmed Taahaa, alias Abdul Matheen Taha, who are wanted in connection with the incident.

Pictures of Shazib, believed to be the one who planted the bomb on March 1, injuring nine people, have been released by the NIA.

According to NIA findings, Shazib used various aliases when booking accommodations in budget hotels and lodges.

“He has been using a forged driving license… to conceal his identity,” NIA stated, describing Shazib as a tall man with a “gym-type body” and straight, black hair. The investigation also revealed Shazib’s use of disguises, including fake beards, wigs, and masks.

Taahaa, identified as the mastermind behind the ISIS Shimoga module and the main handler in the Mangalore auto blast case, is described as a 30-year-old man with a receding hairline, often seen wearing a cap.

The agency believes Shazib wore Taahaa’s baseball cap while placing the explosive at Rameshwaram cafe. This cap, bought from a Chennai mall and later discarded near the blast site, serves as crucial evidence.

Both suspects have been on the run for three years and are wanted in multiple cases, including the Al-Hind case. The NIA is questioning their associate, Muzammil Shareef, regarding his involvement in the blast. Shareef was apprehended following extensive raids across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.