Bengaluru Police on Wednesday said efforts are underway to trace a 31-year-old Indore man who went missing during a solo trek near the Karnataka capital last week.
“The operation to trace the missing man, Advait Upadhyay, is underway,” Bangalore Rural Superintendent of Police MV Chandrakant told HT.
The officer’s comment was in response to reports that Upadhyay was feared dead after a drone spotted a possible human body in dense vegetation.
According to the police, Upadhyay, who worked at a financial firm in Whitefield, was reported missing on August 7. A resident of Begur area, he reportedly informed his fiancée of his Shivagange trekking plan. He had also hired a motorcycle for the same.
Upadhyay, the police said, reportedly parked his rented bike at the foothills before proceeding uphill. CCTV footage showed him climbing the hills, the police said.
The man’s family suspects that he may have been kidnapped and harmed by robbers, keeping in mind he went for the trek alone.
A missing case has been registered at Kadugodi police station, and a search operation has been underway at Shivagange and its vicinity to trace him, a senior police officer earlier said. “An extensive search operation continues, and further investigation is underway. We are looking into all angles,” the officer said, seeking anonymity.
Over 70 personnel from the police, forest department, fire and emergency services and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been roped in for the search operation.
Investigators earlier said they are examining the man’s digital activity in the days leading up to the trek. They said during the examination, they found a query made to an AI tool regarding the hill’s height and what could happen to someone in the event of a fatal fall.
“These searches are significant from the investigation point of view. We found queries relating to Shivagange, including its height and what could happen if someone fell from the hill. There was also a search through an AI tool concerning the consequences of such a fall,” inspector B Govardhan said.
The Madhya Pradesh Police have offered to assist Karnataka authorities in their effort to trace the man. “We received information from social media that Advait Upadhyay, originally from Indore, had gone missing while trekking in Shivagange near Bengaluru. We have contacted the Karnataka police in this matter and offered necessary assistance in the investigation,” Indore Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya said.
The Indore police will immediately assist if any assistance is needed in the investigation, the officer said, adding that they have not yet received any information from Upadhyay’s family.
(With PTI inputs)
