Karnataka engineer missing for 17 days, note cites contractor pressure over dues

When she could not reach him, she contacted his senior officer, who said no meeting was scheduled and that Dharawad had been absent from office for three days. Colleagues later searched his desk and discovered the note, prompting a missing person report at the Bettageri police station.

In his note, Dharawad wrote that contractors and subcontractors were arriving at his office and residence daily to demand pending disbursements, destroying his peace of mind and family life. He said that he could not release funds because the state government had failed to disburse allocated grants despite repeated requests.

He highlighted that works valued at over Rs 6 crore had already been executed through KRIDL using funds allocated from other departments that were never released. He requested that another AEE be deputed in his place, that outstanding funds be cleared immediately, and that his family not be subjected to harassment.

Police form special teams

Mithun H N, Superintendent of Police, Gadag, said that five police teams have been deployed to locate Parvez. The investigation has proved challenging as the missing engineer is not carrying an active mobile phone or conducting digital bank transactions. However, the police have ruled out suicide, expressing confidence that Dharawad is alive.

CCTV footage last placed Dharawad at the Vijayawada railway station in Andhra Pradesh. The police said that Dharawad had similarly gone missing in 2024, a case also registered at Bettageri police station, before being traced via CCTV footage to Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. A police team has been dispatched to Bhopal in connection with the current search.

Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre said Wednesday that he spoke with Dharawad’s father Jaffer alongside the Deputy Commissioner and the SP, assuring them that the government is taking all necessary measures to trace the engineer.

Addressing the financial concerns raised in the note, Khandre acknowledged existing government fund shortages and said that issues regarding pending payments would be addressed once Dharawad makes contact.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA R Ashoka criticised the state government, stating that the engineer’s disappearance highlights an ongoing financial crisis. Ashoka alleged that the government must account for the claims made in Parvez’s letter regarding delayed payments and the resulting pressure on field officials.