IAS Officer Gyanendra Kumar Missing: Police Follow Trail From Bengaluru to Delhi

A senior Karnataka cadre IAS officer has gone missing, prompting a police search that has extended from Bengaluru to Delhi. The officer, Gyanendra Kumar, was last seen at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Friday, August 21, 2026, after which his mobile phone was switched off, according to officials.

Kumar, an officer of the Indian Administrative Service, has not been in contact with his family members since then. A senior IAS officer approached Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, seeking police intervention to trace Kumar after he became unreachable. The request was made on Friday, sources said.

During the preliminary investigation, police tracked Kumar’s movements to KIA and confirmed that he boarded a flight to Delhi. However, authorities are yet to establish his exact location in the national capital or make any contact with him, sources said. His phone remains switched off, and investigators are trying to determine why he stopped communicating.

The case has drawn attention because of Kumar’s earlier posting in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). The development follows a recent search operation conducted by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) at the KPSC premises as part of a financial inquiry. The ED had carried out the search in the days before Kumar went missing. Police have stated that no link has been established so far between the ED action and Kumar’s decision to travel or to turn off his phone.

The KPSC is the state agency responsible for conducting recruitment examinations for various government posts in Karnataka. Kumar’s exact role during his tenure at the KPSC has not been disclosed, and officials have not clarified whether he was currently attached to any other department. His current posting and responsibilities are not known.

On Saturday, August 22, 2026, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said the police were searching for the missing officer. “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,” Kharge said.

Investigators are examining multiple possibilities, including Kumar’s movements after he reached Delhi and the circumstances surrounding his decision to switch off his phone. They are also checking his travel records, call detail records, and other available leads to determine where he is staying and why he became unreachable. Police teams in Bengaluru and Delhi have been alerted, and efforts are being made to trace him through airport surveillance and passenger information. No official statement has been issued about the purpose of his travel.

The disappearance of a serving IAS officer is considered a serious matter, as these officials hold key administrative positions. The police have not indicated any security concern, but the search is being given priority. The absence of a formal complaint from Kumar’s family has not hampered the investigation, as the police are acting on the request of fellow bureaucrats. The search is ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out any line of inquiry.