Karnataka IAS officer goes missing, police trace his travel to Delhi

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Police are checking IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar’s travel records and other available leads to establish where he is currently staying and why he became unreachable. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

An IAS officer went missing on Friday (August 22, 2026) after his mobile phone was switched off, sending the police into a tizzy.

The probe into the disappearance of IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar has revealed that he travelled to Delhi from Kempegowda International Airport. However, the police are yet to track him down in Delhi or establish contact with him.

A senior IAS officer had approached Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, seeking police intervention to trace Gyanendra Kumar after he became unreachable.

During the preliminary investigation, police tracked the officer’s movements to KIA. Investigators have now confirmed that he boarded a flight to Delhi. However, he has switched off his mobile phone, leaving police to ascertain his exact whereabouts, sources said.

Police are checking his travel records and other available leads to establish where he is currently staying and why he became unreachable. The officer is also reportedly not in contact with his family members.

Gyanendra Kumar had earlier served in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

His disappearance had raised questions as it reportedly followed a recent Directorate of Enforcement (ED) search operation on KPSC. However, police have so far not established any link between the ED action and his decision to travel to Delhi or become unreachable.

Investigators are examining multiple possibilities and are attempting to establish the officer’s movements after he reached Delhi and the circumstances surrounding his decision to switch off his phone.

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday (August 22, 2026) said police are searching for the missing IAS officer, who was last seen at Bengaluru airport.

“No complaint has been received from his family. He was last seen at the airport. We do not know where he is currently, and a search is underway,” Me. Kharge said.

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