Metal detectors, baggage checks, and dosas: Post blast, Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe back on its feet
Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram Cafe on ITPL Road was cordoned off, on March 1, swarming with police, with unfinished plates of food strewn around, seemingly in panic.
When I visited the joint eight days later on a Saturday morning, I witnessed a heartening sight of the popular cafe shaking off the horror of the past week and resuming business.
The cafe reopened at 6.20 am on March 9, and when I reached an hour later, the breakfast crowd had already begun trickling in. Two metal detectors were placed in front of the cafe – a security addition post the blast. Once I passed through those, a security guard used his hand-held metal detector to scan my body like in airports, Metro stations, and shopping malls. He also ran a check of the contents of my cross-body sling bag.
Rava idli, timer, bus: Inside the IED operation at Bengaluru’s Rameshwaram cafe
When I walked in, I noticed small groups of friends and some others who’d arrived with family members taking selfies and videos of the cafe. Food delivery workers patiently waited in a corner, awaiting their turn. “We received more online orders today,” said one of the staff members.
The spacious cafe had people sitting cross-legged on the floor. Among them were friends Nikhil Sharma and Pushpendra Kadwa. “We have been planning a visit for a long time.
