Restaurant waiter arrested for possessing explosive-like substance in Bengaluru

Bengaluru police on Thursday arrested a restaurant waiter in possession of a substance appearing to be an explosive in northeast Bengaluru’s Thanisandra. Investigations continue to determine where the suspect sourced the explosive.

The suspect, Abdul Rahman, 23, claimed that he found it in a dump yard where he was looking for plastic because he was a ragpicker before being offered a job as a waiter. However, police are not convinced and have been questioning him further. A court has remanded Rahman to police custody.

The explosive, according to the FIR, resembled a red tennis ball with multiple threads like candle wicks branching out of it. The object was stuffed with chemicals inside and was later disposed of in a safe place.

A police source told DH that the chemicals inside the ball were collected and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for examination. Once the reports are out, the investigations will gather pace, according to the officer.

Police are seeking answers to three questions: the location where Rahman found the explosive, who kept it there, and who made it.

According to the police, Rahman distanced himself from his family, which resides near Kogilu Cross near Yelahanka Old Town, about three months ago. He started to pick rags and used to sleep near Guttahalli.

On Wednesday, the owner of a darshini located in Thanisandra found Rahman and offered him a small job in his hotel. Rahman agreed and went with him. When the owner asked Rahman to submit a copy of his Aadhaar card for security purposes, he agreed to give it the next day.

“The restaurant owner gave a small space behind the hotel for Rahman to stay. He slept there at night,” the officer said.

When the owner asked Rahman to give him his Aadhaar card the next day, the latter didn’t react, sparking suspicion in the hotel owner. Rahman had gone there with just one polythene cover in hand. The owner checked it and found a suspicious explosive-like substance. He quickly called the police.

Police arrived at the restaurant, seized the explosive-like ball, and disposed of it. An FIR has been filed against Rahman under relevant sections of the Explosive Substances Act and the Explosives Act.