Three held for planting explosive material at overcrowded Bengaluru bus stop

Hans India

29-07-2025

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Police have cracked the case involving the planting of explosive materials outside a public toilet at Bengaluru's overcrowded Kalasipalya bus stop and have arrested three persons.
Confirming the arrests on Tuesday, DCP (West) S. Girish stated that as the investigation was ongoing, the names and photos of the accused would be released in due course.
Girish said, "The incident took place on July 23. Taking the matter seriously, the police department formed five teams. These teams conducted investigations, gathered information from sources, and, through technical evidence, apprehended three suspects."
He further added, "The police have recovered 22 live REX 90 gelatin gel capsules and 30 live electric detonators. We have also obtained information about other individuals involved in the case, and the investigation is still in progress."
Earlier, panic had gripped Bengaluru's Kalasipalya bus stop after an unattended bag was found outside a public toilet on July 23.
Acting on information about a suspicious bag, Bengaluru Police rushed to the spot and recovered gelatin sticks and detonators outside a public toilet at the Kalasipalya bus stop.
Six (REX 90) gelatin gel capsules and 12 electric detonators, both separately packed, were found in a carry bag outside the toilet located on the premises of the Kalasipalya Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus stand.
The explosive materials were discovered around 2 p.m. They were kept in separate bags near the toilet.
The case was filed under Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act, under Sections 6 (A), 9 (B) of the Explosives Act and also under Sections 61 (1)(a), 61 (1)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita.
Assistant Traffic Superintendent (ATS) Mallappa R. Katiimani had filed a complaint in this regard. An unknown person and an adult male were named as the accused persons initially in the FIR.
The FIR had stated, "The complainant works as the ATS at the Kalasipalya bus stop and has come to duty at 8 a.m. and inspected the Kalasipalya BMTC bus stop and found nothing at that time. Later, at 1.15 pm, security personnel Prabhvathi and Raju produced a bag saying that an unknown person had left it near the bus stand public toilet. He suspected the presence of the explosive substance and called the police. The police, who arrived at the spot, confirmed it."
The complainant has stated that the Kalasipalya bus stop is an overcrowded place and urged the police to track down the persons who had left the explosive substances to cause harm to lives and property, and initiate legal action, the FIR stated.
Kalasipalya is a communally sensitive and densely populated area in Bengaluru, and the discovery had raised serious concerns among residents and security agencies.
Recently, over 40 private schools in Bengaluru received bomb threat messages via email.