IPS officer en route to join duty dies in road accident in Hassan
26-year-old IPS officer Harsh Bardhan died in a jeep accident en route to his posting after training. Condolences were expressed by the chief minister.
A 26-year-old probationary IPS officer Harsh Bardhan, who was en route to assume his duties, died after his jeep driver lost control while driving at a high speed near Kittanegadi village in Hassan taluk, police said on Monday.

Police said the accident took place on Sunday at around 4.15pm on National Highway 373, which connects Hassan and Mysuru, when Bardhan was en route to report to the Hassan district superintendent of police (SP) office after completing a month-long training at the police academy in Mysuru.
Bardhan was travelling in a police jeep when the vehicle overturned near Kittanegadi village. Hassan SP Muhammed Sujitha said: “The young officer had just completed his training, and I was preparing to post him as ASP. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries despite our efforts to save him.”
“We rushed him to a private hospital in Hassan and even attempted to transfer him to Bengaluru under zero-traffic conditions, but he succumbed at 9:30 pm,” he said. The autopsy was conducted on Monday, and his body was transported to Yelahanka Air Force Station for airlifting to his residence in Dosar village in Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh.
An FIR was filed against the jeep’s driver, Manje Gowda at the Gorur police station under the BNS Act’s section 281 for rash and negligent driving.
Gorur sub-inspector Dhanraj said: “Both Bardhan and the driver were wearing seat belts, but the jeep overturned thrice. Unfortunately, the airbags did not deploy, which exacerbated his injuries. Had the airbags opened, the officer might have survived.”
Shankarappa, a witness, said: “The driver lost control at high speed, veered off the road, and crashed into a coconut tree. The vehicle overturned, severely injuring the officer. We immediately took him to the hospital.”
Harsh Bardhan was the son of Akhilesh Kumar Singh, a sub-divisional magistrate, and Dolly Singh, a government employee. Despite a background in civil engineering, Bardhan pursued civil services, securing the 153rd rank in the UPSC exams on his first attempt in 2022.
On Monday, chief minister Siddaramaiah expressed his condolences on X and said: “Saddened to learn of Harsh Bardhan’s death in an accident. This tragedy occurred while he was on his way to assume office. It is heartbreaking that years of hard work ended in such a tragedy. May his soul rest in peace.”
