Land, money, a cancelled marriage: 3 Assam men held over Bengaluru blast

Three childhood friends from the Indian state of Assam have been apprehended by Bengaluru police in connection with an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Pulakeshinagar, which injured two workers. The motive behind the incident, which occurred on Tuesday, was rooted in personal rivalry between the suspects and their victims.

Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh stated that the investigation encompassed all possible angles, including terrorism, before concluding the motive. Ten police teams scoured 1,500 CCTV cameras and interrogated more than 100 individuals. The arrested men identified as Bhurhan Ahamad Burbhuiyya, 20; Jahidull Hussain Burbhuiyya, 27; and Sajidull Lashkar, 22, all hailing from Dinanathpur in Assam’s Hailakhandi district.

Jahidull is related to Allauddin Barbhaij, a 53-year-old security guard from Assam who was among the injured victims. Bhurhan worked as a welder and electrician in Maski, Karnataka; Jahidull as a salesman at a Cake of the Day shop in Bengaluru’s Jayanagar; and Sajidull worked at Bytwocoffee in Malleshwaram. The trio allegedly orchestrated the attack due to personal disputes—land, financial, and a recently cancelled marriage involving Jahidull’s sister, allegedly due to Allauddin’s interference.

A WhatsApp group and extensive online research led to the plan. The three friends created a WhatsApp group, with Bhurhan suggesting the IED blast. After allegedly assembling the device, Bhurhan contacted Allauddin, claiming a parcel was in his name, located at a shop near his residence. Allauddin collected the parcel but did not open it immediately.

Suraj Kumar, a painter from Gorakhpur, assisted Bhurhan in opening the parcel, which subsequently exploded, injuring both. Suraj sustained severe injuries. The accused have been held in police custody, arrested within 72 hours of the incident. An NIA team also arrived in Bengaluru to investigate potential terrorism involvement.