Missing Indore Techie: Digital Trail, Personal Life Add Twists To Shivagange Mystery

Indore / Bengaluru (Madhya Pradesh): New digital evidence and details regarding his personal life have added fresh twists to the investigation surrounding missing Indore-based software professional Advait Upadhyaya.

Investigators found that Upadhyaya’s laptop, recovered from his home, showed searches made using an artificial intelligence tool.

He looked up the height of Shivagange Hill, ways to reach the dangerous Shantala Drop, and asked how long someone could survive a fall from the cliff.

These findings have raised concerns that Upadhyaya may have planned to end his life, but police have not made any final conclusions.

Police also found his mobile phone and drone at the Shantala Drop area, but Upadhyaya is still missing.

The phone was active for a short time before it switched off, so investigators think someone else may have picked it up and are checking if anyone else was with him.

They are also looking into Upadhyaya’s cyber-security background and digital devices to see if hacking or similar activities were involved.

CDR revealed complicated personal life

Call detail records (CDR) have also shown that Upadhyaya had a complicated personal life. He was messaging several young women and reportedly had a girlfriend even though he was engaged to someone else.

Police are looking into whether his hesitation about the upcoming marriage played a part in his disappearance.

Ongoing search and multi-agency investigation

A joint operation with local police from Kadugodi and Nelamangala, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and fire and emergency teams is still searching the rough terrain of Shivagange Hill. High-resolution drones are scanning hard-to-reach parts of the cliff.

Teams are also checking CCTV footage from the area to trace his route before and after he reached the village. Authorities say they are still considering all possibilities, including suicide, an accidental fall, or foul play.

Background

Advait Upadhyaya, a skilled techie originally from Indore, went missing on Aug 7 after embarking on what was believed to be a solo trek.

Digital records suggest he may have visited the hill as early as Aug 4 before his reported trip on Aug 7.

On the morning of Aug 7, Upadhyaya began his ascent, sending a photograph from the hilltop to his fiancée.

After he stopped responding to subsequent calls, his fiancée lodged a missing person complaint, initiating the ongoing multi-agency search effort.

Indore police offer help to trace Advait

Indore police offered full assistance to Karnataka authorities to locate Advait Upadhyay.

Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya said that Indore police reached out after learning about the incident on social media.

While Upadhyay’s family has not yet approached the local police, MP officials stand ready to provide immediate support to Karnataka investigators whenever required.

"We received information from social media that Advait Upadhyay, originally from Indore, had gone missing while trekking in Shivagange near Bengaluru.

We have contacted the Karnataka police in this matter and offered necessary assistance in the investigation," Dandotiya told the media.