'Life can be cruel': Karnataka IPS officer Harsh Bardhan's batchmate mourns his tragic death; urges prioritising 'five-star safety cars'

Harsh Bardhan, an IPS probationary officer died in a road accident on Sunday while on his way to take up his first posting in Hassan district, police said.

Bardhan’s classmate, Shailendra Singh, saddened by the tragic loss of his mate, posted on X saying, "I am feeling so sad and frustrated right now. Harsh was my classmate in college. He worked hard all his life and cleared UPSC."

Singh added, “An IPS officer lost his life because he was travelling in Mahindra Bolero and its tires burst. Why don't we prioritize five-star safety cars?”

“He was going to join office as a DSP for the first time. He did not even received his first salary. Life can be cruel. Be safe everyone and talk to your friends and family regularly,” Singh said.

He also shared the images of the horrific accident on his social media handle.

Who was IPS Harsh Bardhan?

A native of Dosar village in Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli district, 25-year-old Bardhan had recently completed his four-week training at the Karnataka Police Academy (KPA) in Mysuru and was en route to take up his first posting as the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Hassan, officials said.

Bardhan's family is originally from Bihar. His father, Akhilesh, is a sub-divisional magistrate. A civil engineer by training, Bardhan had completed district practical training in Hassan for six months.

He had cleared the civil services examination in his maiden attempt, sources close to his family said on Monday.

More details about the accident

Harsh Bardhan, a 2023-bach officer of the Karnataka cadre, was travelling from Mysuru to Hassan in an official car when the crash occurred near Kittane, about 10 km from Hassan, around 4:20 pm.

The driver — a District Armed Reserve (DAR) constable named Manjegowda — lost control of the car due to a reported tyre burst, causing the vehicle to crash into a roadside tree and a house before coming to a halt, according to an officer in the Hassan district police.

Bardhan sustained severe head injuries and was rushed to Hassan's Janapriya Hospital. While arrangements were made to shift him to a Bengaluru hospital through a green (zero-traffic) corridor, he succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, Manjegowda suffered minor injuries and is being treated in the Hassan hospital.

The last rites will be performed in Bihar, said the father of the 26-year-old deceased.

(With DHNS and PTI inputs)