Bengaluru, Aug 10 (IANS) The Karnataka Police suspect that a Bengaluru-based techie who went missing from the historic Shivagange Hill in Bengaluru Rural district may have planned to take his own life, with investigators recovering searches from his laptop that allegedly indicate he had researched the consequences of falling from the hill.
The missing techie, identified as Advait Upadhyaya, a native of Indore in Madhya Pradesh who was residing in Kadugodi in Bengaluru, went missing after arriving at Shivagange for trekking on Friday.
A major search operation has been underway for the past three days, involving the police, fire and emergency services, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other personnel. Teams are searching the difficult terrain of Shivagange Hill using drones and other modern equipment.
According to police sources, the investigation has revealed several details that have strengthened the suspicion that Upadhyaya may have planned to take the extreme step.
Police recovered a laptop from his residence and managed to access it during the investigation. They allegedly found that Upadhyaya had used an AI tool to search for information about the time it would take to die if he fell from Shivagange Hill.
Investigators also found searches relating to the height of the hill and the possible consequences of a fall. According to the police, an AI-generated response suggested that a person falling from the hill at around 7.30 a.m. could potentially die.
Based on these searches and other evidence gathered during the investigation, police suspect that Upadhyaya may have travelled to Shivagange on August 4 itself, ahead of his planned trekking trip on August 7.
On August 7, Upadhyaya reportedly began trekking at Shivagange. Soon after starting the trek, he sent a photograph to a woman to whom he was engaged. He subsequently became unreachable.
Police have also obtained a photograph of Upadhyaya taken by another tourist while he was reportedly at the hilltop. Investigators are examining the photograph and other available evidence to establish his movements before he went missing.
The search operation is being led by Nelamangala Town Circle Inspector Bharat Gowda and involves police personnel, SDRF teams and experts familiar with the difficult terrain.
The teams are using drone cameras to scan inaccessible portions of the hill and are searching narrow, deep and steep sections where a person could potentially be trapped or have fallen.
The Shantala Drop, a popular tourist spot atop Shivagange, is one of the most challenging areas for search teams because of its steep terrain and difficult access.
Officials are continuing the search while examining technical and other evidence to determine exactly what happened to Upadhyaya.
Police have not yet confirmed that Upadhyaya has died and are continuing efforts to locate him. The search operation is likely to continue until the missing techie is traced.
–IANS
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