BENGALURU: A day after the Church Street blast, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case is still trying to ascertain which terror outfit could be behind the attack, while Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials have strongly suspected the hand of Indian Mujahideen (IM).

The SIT is taking the probe forward based on pieces of a Telugu newspaper recovered from the site.

“The Hyderabad edition of a Telugu newspaper had more news related to Warangal district. A team has been sent to Warangal and Hyderabad. Though there are no definite clues, we are trying to trace those who bought the newspaper, which could help us in taking the probe forward,” a senior officer said.

The police had cracked the Chinnaswamy Stadium blast case after they found pieces of a Kannada newspaper which had more Tumakuru news.

When the cops started the probe based on the newspaper, they found that the terror suspects had rented a room in Tumakuru and had assembled the bomb there.

“When we have such a lesson, we do not want to miss out on anything. We are just trying our luck in that angle,” the official said.

The SIT teams are also conducting the investigation in Hoskote, Kolar and Chikkaballapur region, as they suspect that the those who planted the bomb could have stayed in any lodge in that region, before heading to the city. Teams have also been sent to Chennai, Ramanagar and other areas.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Alok Kumar, who is also the head of the SIT, confirmed that the team has been sent of Andhra Pradesh.

“The SIT includes more than five ACPs, 10 inspectors and other staff. We do not want to share any information about the probe as of now as it would hamper the investigation. We don’t rule out any angle nor confirm any.”

As the SIT is yet to ascertain the terror outfit responsible for the attack, sources in the IB said that the IM’s role is suspected.

“IM was inactive for the last few months and it wanted to make its presence felt. Moreover, the blast is similar to those it has carried out in the past, leading us to suspect its role.

They might have chosen Church Street as it is close to Brigade Road, where thousands of people throng every New Year’s Eve,” the source said, adding that IM sympathisers could be behind the blast.