Harsh Bardhan, a 26-year-old IPS officer from Madhya Pradesh, tragically lost his life in a road accident while traveling to his first posting in Hassan district, Karnataka. A member of the 2023 batch of the Karnataka cadre, Bardhan had just finished his training at the Karnataka Police Academy in Mysuru.
The tragic accident took place on Sunday near the Kittane border on the Hassan-Mysuru Highway when the police vehicle Bardhan was traveling in had a tyre burst. This caused the driver to lose control, and the vehicle crashed into a house and a tree. Bardhan, who suffered severe head injuries, passed away while receiving treatment, while the driver sustained only minor injuries.
Images from the scene show the severely damaged police vehicle. Bardhan was on his way to start his duty as the probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police in Holenarasipur at the time of the accident.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his sorrow on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Saddened to hear about the death of probationary IPS officer Harsh Bardhan in a horrific accident near Kittane border of Hassan-Mysuru Highway. 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.” The post was written in Kannada.
The Chief Minister also prayed for Bardhan’s soul and expressed his condolences to the family. “I pray to God that Harsh Bardhan’s soul rests in peace. My condolences to the family,” he said.