The search for 31-year-old Advait Upadhyay, an engineer from Indore who went missing in the Shivagange hills near Nelamangala in Bengaluru, entered its sixth day on Wednesday. The operation, which had run for more than 60 hours, was called off on Tuesday evening once darkness fell. Police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and fire brigade teams were set to resume searching the hill’s more difficult terrain from Wednesday morning.
Mobile phone and drone recovered
During the search, police recovered Advait’s mobile phone and drone near Shantala Drop. Earlier, on Sunday, his bag and sweater had been found near the restricted Shantala Point. Investigators are now piecing together a timeline of his movements by cross-referencing where these items were found with his digital activity.
According to police, the mobile phone remained switched on for some time before it went off, so they are also examining whether it may have come into someone else’s possession. Officers are checking whether anyone else was present at the spot where the phone and drone were recovered.
A photograph of Advait, taken by another visitor to the hills, has also surfaced during the investigation. Police are using this photograph, along with other digital records, to reconstruct his arrival at the hill and his subsequent movements there.
Digital records suggest an earlier visit on 4 August
While it had earlier emerged that Advait travelled to the Shivagange hills on 7 August, checks on his laptop’s browsing history and other digital activity indicate he may also have visited the hill on 4 August.
Police are now examining his digital records for the period between 4 and 7 August, trying to establish when he first went to the hill, who he was in contact with, and why he returned there on 7 August.
Laptop search history gives investigators a new lead
Advait’s laptop browsing history reportedly includes searches for the height of the Shivagange hill, routes to Shantala Drop, and different paths for climbing the hill. Police said searches were also made using an AI tool about how long a person could survive after falling from a height, and the physical effects of such a fall.
Investigators are treating this as one possible line of enquiry regarding self-harm, though they have stressed that no conclusion can be drawn from browsing history alone. This information is being cross-checked against other digital and circumstantial evidence.
Call records under scrutiny
Police are also examining Advait’s call detail records (CDR), particularly who he spoke to on 6 and 7 August besides his fiancée. His personal contacts and relationships are also being looked into. At this stage, police say no individual is under suspicion and no dispute has been confirmed.
Last spoke to his fiancée on the morning of 7 August
According to police records, Advait’s fiancée filed a missing person’s report at Kadugodi police station, under the Whitefield sub-division, around 8 pm on 7 August. She told police that Advait had called her around 7:30 am that morning to say he was going trekking at the Shivagange hills. He did not return, and repeated calls to his phone went unanswered.
The case was initially registered by Kadugodi police before being transferred to Nelamangala police.
SDRF and fire brigade teams continue the search
Kadugodi and Nelamangala police, along with SDRF and fire brigade teams, are combing the higher and more hazardous stretches of the hill. Rain has made the rocky paths slippery, hampering access to the more difficult areas. Following the recovery of the phone and drone, police are now focusing closely on the area around Shantala Drop and Advait’s likely movements there.
Mother lives alone in Indore
Advait is the only son in his family. His father, Professor Pramod Upadhyay, died of a heart attack in 2016, after which his mother received a compassionate appointment in the accounts department. She has since taken voluntary retirement and currently lives alone in Indore. Advait has been living in Bengaluru for a long time, working as an engineer at a finance company, having earlier worked as a software professional.
Indore Crime Branch also in the loop
Given the seriousness of the case, the Indore Crime Branch is in touch with Bengaluru police, sharing information about Advait’s family and his contacts in Indore.
Police are piecing together a complete timeline using the mobile phone, drone, laptop, call records, CCTV footage, online search history and items recovered from the hill. All possible angles, including that of an accident, remain under investigation, and nothing has been confirmed so far.
