Hassan (Karnataka), Dec 2: A 26-year-old IPS officer, Harsh Bardhan, tragically died in a road accident while en route to his first posting in Hassan district. Bardhan, a 2023-batch officer of the Karnataka cadre, was heading to Holenarasipur as a probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police when the accident occurred on Sunday evening.
Police reports stated that the vehicle Bardhan was traveling in, along with its driver, Manjegowda, experienced a tyre burst near Kittane in Hassan taluk. This caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle, which then collided with a house and a tree. Bardhan sustained severe head injuries and was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver suffered only minor injuries.
Bardhan, originally from Madhya Pradesh, had recently completed a four-week training at the Karnataka Police Academy in Mysuru. His father is a sub-divisional magistrate.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his condolences on social media, calling the incident tragic. “It is very sad that such an accident happened while he was on his way to take charge as an IPS officer. This should not have happened when years of hard work were paying off,” he said, praying for Bardhan’s soul to rest in peace.
The loss of the young officer has deeply saddened his colleagues and the state, marking a tragic end to a promising career.
