The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has identified Mussavir Hussain Shazib as the key accused who carried out the blast at a cafe in Bengaluru on March 1 and Abdul Matheen Taahaa as the co-conspirator.

As part of the efforts to locate and arrest the absconding accused persons, the NIA has conducted searches at 18 locations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, an NIA spokesperson said.

In the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, the NIA has identified the accused person who carried out the IED blast as Mussavir Hussain Shazib and the co-conspirator as Abdul Matheen Taahaa, both residents of Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district of Karnataka.

Several people were injured in the blast at the cafe located at ITPL Road, Brookefield, Bengaluru. Further, as part of the investigation, Muzammil Shareef, a resident of Khalsa, Chikkamagaluru, who extended logistics support to the main accused persons, was arrested on March 26 and was examined in police custody, the spokesperson said.

The agency declared rewards of Rs 10 lakh on information leading to the arrest of each of the absconders on March 29. The NIA has been summoning and examining all acquaintances, including college and school friends, of the absconding and arrested accused persons to gather evidence and information in the case, the spokesperson said.

It being a terror incident, any information on the identity of the witnesses may put them in risk in addition to hampering investigation. Also, unverified news items hamper effective investigation in the case, the agency said.

The NIA sought the cooperation of all for the arrest of the absconding accused persons, the spokesperson said.