Harsh Bardhan, a 26-year-old IPS officer from Madhya Pradesh, tragically died in a road accident while on his way to his first posting in Hassan district, Karnataka. A member of the 2023 batch of the Karnataka cadre, Bardhan has just completed his training from the Karnataka Police Academy in Mysore.
The tragic incident took place on Sunday near Kittane border on Hasan-Massuru highway when the tire of the police car in which Bardhan was traveling burst. As a result, the driver lost control and the car crashed into a house and a tree. Bardhan, who sustained severe head injuries, died while being treated, while the driver sustained minor injuries.
Pictures from the scene show a heavily damaged police car. At the time of the accident, Bardhan was about to take up his duties as assistant superintendent of police in Khalenarasipur.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took to X (earlier on Twitter) to express his grief, saying, “Saddened to hear about the death of IPS officer Harsh Bardhan, who was on probation, in a horrific accident near Kittane border on Hassan-Mysuru highway. It is very sad that such an incident happened when he was on his way to work as a police officer. This should not have happened when years of hard work were paying off.” The message was written in Kannada.
The Chief Minister also prayed for Bardhan’s soul and offered condolences to the family. “I pray to God that Harsh Bardhan’s soul rest in peace. My condolences to the family,” he said.
