Search intensifies for missing techie at Shivagange Hills

Search operations are intensifying at Shivagange Hills to locate Advait Upadhyaya, a Bengaluru-based techie who went missing during a trekking trip. The search involves approximately 50 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police. Teams are utilizing four drones to scan difficult, steep, and inaccessible terrain, including the foothills and narrow sections of the hill.

Investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting the disappearance may have been a suicide attempt. Police reported recovering a laptop from Upadhyaya’s residence, which allegedly contained searches regarding the height of the hill and the consequences of falling from it. Specifically, investigators claim he used an AI tool to research the time it would take to die following a fall from the location.

Upadhyaya, a native of Indore residing in Kadugodi, reportedly sent a photograph to his fiancée shortly after beginning his trek on August 7 before becoming unreachable. Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage and analyzing his communication history to reconstruct his final movements.