Bengaluru techie missing during solo trek, search intensifies at Shivagange

Advait Upadhyay, a native of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, works for a finance firm in Whitefield and lives in Kadugodi.

Police said he rented a motorcycle on Friday and travelled to Shivagange after informing his fiancée that he planned to trek up the hill.

CCTV captures last known movement

CCTV footage from the foothills showed Upadhyay arriving at the location and beginning his ascent at around 7.30 am.

He was expected to return by the afternoon. However, he did not return and attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.

His fiancée subsequently approached Kadugodi police and filed a missing person complaint later that evening.

Police then alerted personnel in the Nelamangala and Dobbaspet areas, following which a coordinated search operation was launched.

Upadhyay's motorcycle was later found parked at the foothills. Police said the discovery indicated that he had not left the area on the motorcycle.

Phone signal leads investigators elsewhere

Investigators are examining the last known location of Upadhyay's mobile phone.

According to police, the phone was switched off after its last signal was recorded near Kuduru on Kunigal Road.

The location does not correspond with the usual trekking route to Shivagange, prompting investigators to examine whether he may have moved away from the established trail.

Police are also analysing information recovered from his laptop at his residence.

Object spotted near Shantala Drop

A major focus of the search is the Shantala Drop, one of the most difficult and dangerous sections of Shivagange, where steep cliffs, rocky terrain and dense vegetation make access challenging.

During drone-assisted searches, personnel reportedly spotted an object resembling a human body in dense vegetation below the Shantala Drop.

However, the location is difficult to reach and rescuers have not yet established whether the object is a person or whether it is connected to Upadhyay's disappearance.

Ground teams are continuing to search the area while drones are being used to scan inaccessible sections of the hill.

Nearly 100 personnel join search

Nearly 100 personnel from the police, NDRF, SDRF and forest department have been deployed for the operation.

Rescue teams are combing rocky outcrops, bushes, steep drops and areas away from the established trekking route.

High-resolution drones are being used to survey locations that are too dangerous or difficult to access on foot.

Continuous rain has further complicated the search, making the rocky terrain slippery and reducing visibility in some areas.

Police probe multiple angles

Investigators are examining several possibilities surrounding Upadhyay's disappearance.

According to police reports, his browsing history contained searches related to Shivagange Hill, its terrain and the Shantala Drop.

A search relating to suicide locations near Bengaluru was also reportedly found on his laptop.

This has led police to examine a possible suicide angle. A close friend has also reportedly told investigators that Upadhyay had behaved irrationally in the days before his disappearance.

However, police have not drawn any conclusion and are continuing to investigate all possible explanations, including the possibility that he may have suffered an accident, become stranded in an inaccessible section of the hill or left the trekking route.

IIT alumnus, was due to marry in January

Upadhyay is an IIT alumnus with a master's degree in cybersecurity and is the son of a businessman based in Indore.

He was engaged and was scheduled to get married in January.

As the search continues, authorities are focusing on establishing his last confirmed movements and determining whether he remains somewhere on the hill or moved beyond the trekking area.