Bengaluru cooker blast: One dead, other injured; NIA collaborates with local police

At least one person was dead and another injured in an explosion in Bengaluru near Udupi Upahara restaurant in what appeared to be a pressure cooker blast due to malfunctioning, city police said on Wednesday.

While the Bengaluru police have ruled out the terror angle, a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has reached the spot and is collaborating with local police to further investigate the cause.

The blast occurred in Bengaluru's JP Nagar near the Udupi Upahara restaurant at 10 am on Monday.Victims, Sameer and Mohsin—both from Uttar Pradesh—were critically injured in the blast. During treatment, however, one of them succumbed to his injuries.

The force of the explosion was significant enough to scatter household items in the vicinity, reported India Today.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda confirmed that the explosion was accidental, clarifying that there was no evidence of a terrorist act.

"We have thoroughly checked and ruled out the use of explosives. It was a pressure cooker blast. The injured men are barbers. We have examined the investigation materials this morning and found no evidence of mischief. NIA officials are here to conduct a cross-examination," India Today quoted a police official as saying.

Police have not found any suspicious things on the spot.

"All experts, including central and state agencies, visited the spot and an investigation is going on," Bengaluru South Division DCP Lokesh B Jagalasar told PTI.

Meanwhile, an NIA team reached Bengaluru this morning. The terror probe agency is collaborating with the local police to further investigate the cause of the blast and evaluate the extent of the damage. Further probe is underway and more details are awaited shortly.

It is important to note that a low-intensity IED blast happened at the popular South Indian restaurant The Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru in March this year, injuring as many as 10 people.