BENGALURU — Three men have been arrested in connection with the recovery of explosive materials at a busy bus stand in Bengaluru, police said, after an investigation into the discovery of a bag containing gelatin sticks and detonators at the Kalasipalya BMTC bus stand.
The arrests followed a multi-day investigation launched after transport staff reported a suspicious unattended bag near a toilet at the bus terminal. Bomb disposal personnel were called to the scene, where officers recovered six live gelatin sticks and 12 electric detonators, according to Karnataka Police.
Police said the three suspects were apprehended after special investigation teams used technical evidence, surveillance footage and information from informants to trace them. Following the arrests, investigators recovered a total of 22 live R.E.X-90 gelatin sticks and 30 live electric detonators linked to the case, authorities said.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of senior Bengaluru police officials, including the Joint Commissioner of Police for the West Zone and the Deputy Commissioner of Police for the West Division, according to an official police statement. The Kalasipalya Police Station is leading the investigation.
Police have not announced any evidence indicating that the explosives were intended for an imminent attack. Investigators said the inquiry remains ongoing and that they are examining the origin of the explosive materials and whether additional individuals were involved.
According to investigators, the three arrested men are quarry workers from Kolar district with no previously disclosed criminal history. During questioning, they told police they had been transporting the explosives for blasting work and abandoned the bag after becoming alarmed on seeing security personnel near the bus stand, believing they were about to be searched. Police said the claim forms part of the investigation and has not been independently verified.
The discovery prompted heightened security measures at the crowded transport hub, one of Bengaluru's busiest bus terminals, while bomb detection and disposal teams secured the area and confirmed the explosive materials were safe to remove. The incident also led authorities to review CCTV footage and other forensic evidence collected from the scene.
Police said further investigation is continuing to determine whether any additional offences were committed under India's explosives laws and whether more arrests will be made.
