KRIDL engineer Parvez Dharwad missing from Gadag after leaving 'death note' over fund delays
Synopsis
A KRIDL assistant executive engineer in Gadag vanished on 16 September after reportedly leaving a note citing unpaid contractor dues and unbearable workplace pressure — the latest in a string of Karnataka government employees whose distress has spilled into public view. His family is demanding an SIT probe.
Key Takeaways
Parvez Dharwad , a KRIDL Assistant Executive Engineer, has been missing from Gadag since 16 September 2026 .
He reportedly left a note addressed to the KRIDL Managing Director citing delays in fund disbursement and pressure from contractors.
A missing person case was registered at Betageri police station in Gadag on the same day.
His family has demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to trace him.
The case follows similar incidents involving Karnataka government employees in 2024 (Valmiki Corporation superintendent, Shivamogga) and 2026 (Social Welfare Department official, Pavagada).
A Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), identified as Parvez Dharwad, has gone missing from Gadag after reportedly leaving a note addressed to the Managing Director of the state undertaking, stating his intention to end his life over prolonged delays in fund disbursement and mounting pressure from contractors, police said on Saturday, 26 September 2026. A missing person case has been registered at the Betageri police station in Gadag.
The Note and What It Said
According to the note reportedly left by Parvez Dharwad, he had repeatedly flagged to senior officers the issue of funds not being released for several works under his charge. He stated that even after funds were released, payments to certain contractors were not being made, resulting in escalating pressure on him personally.
The note also reportedly mentioned that some contractors had visited his residence and created a disturbance over pending payments. Parvez wrote that the situation had severely affected his mental health and that he was unable to bear the pressure any longer. He reportedly held himself responsible for the circumstances, while requesting that his family members not be harassed and urging authorities to appoint a new AEE and release all pending dues to contractors and group leaders.
Timeline of Disappearance
Parvez had travelled to Bengaluru on 16 September to attend a meeting and has reportedly been untraceable since that date. His family, who are said to be distressed over his disappearance, have sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to trace him at the earliest.
Police at Betageri registered the missing person case on the same day he failed to return, and efforts to locate him are continuing.
What KRIDL Is
KRIDL is a Karnataka government undertaking with roots in the Directorate of Land Army, established under the Rural Development Department in 1971. It was incorporated as the Karnataka Land Army Corporation in 1974 and renamed Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited in 2009. The body oversees rural infrastructure works across the state.
A Pattern of Workplace Distress Among Karnataka Officials
This incident follows a disturbing pattern of government employees in Karnataka reportedly citing workplace pressure and financial irregularities before their deaths or disappearances.
In 2024, a 50-year-old superintendent of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation died by suicide in Shivamogga, leaving behind a six-page note alleging that senior officials and a bank manager had pressured him to open a parallel bank account to divert corporation funds. The incident triggered a major political controversy and led to the resignation of then Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B. Nagendra.
In a separate incident reported in 2026, Mallikarjun, an Assistant Director in the Social Welfare Department in Tumakuru district, died by suicide at his office in Pavagada shortly before his scheduled retirement, after reportedly sending a video to colleagues alleging harassment by a senior district official.
Police are continuing efforts to trace Parvez Dharwad and establish the full circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
If you or someone you know is in distress, please reach out to iCall at 9152987821 or Vandrevala Foundation at 1860-2662-345 (available 24x7).
Point of View
Pavagada, now Gadag — suggest that Karnataka's state-run bodies have a systemic problem with fund flow bottlenecks and the pressure they generate on mid-level officers who must face contractors daily. Each time, a note or video surfaces; each time, a political moment erupts and then fades. What has not happened is a structural fix to the disbursement pipeline that consistently leaves field engineers holding accountability without authority. The demand for an SIT to find Parvez Dharwad is urgent, but the longer question is whether Karnataka's government will audit the fund-release processes at KRIDL and peer agencies before the next such note appears.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Parvez Dharwad and why has he gone missing?
Parvez Dharwad is a KRIDL Assistant Executive Engineer posted in Gadag, Karnataka, who went missing on 16 September 2026 after reportedly leaving a note stating he intended to end his life due to prolonged delays in fund disbursement and pressure from contractors over pending payments.
What did Parvez Dharwad's note say?
According to reports, the note was addressed to the KRIDL Managing Director and described repeated, unresolved requests to senior officers for the release of project funds. It stated that even when funds were released, contractor payments were withheld, that contractors had visited his home and created a disturbance, and that the pressure had severely damaged his mental health.
What action has the police taken?
A missing person case was registered at Betageri police station in Gadag on 16 September 2026, the same day Parvez failed to return from Bengaluru. Police say efforts to trace him are ongoing.
What is KRIDL and what does it do?
KRIDL — Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited — is a Karnataka government undertaking established in 1971 as the Directorate of Land Army and incorporated in its current form in 2009. It executes rural infrastructure works across Karnataka, including road construction and allied projects.
Is this the first such incident involving a Karnataka government official?
No. In 2024, a superintendent of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation died by suicide in Shivamogga, leaving a note alleging fund diversion pressure — an episode that led to Minister B. Nagendra's resignation. In 2026, an assistant director in Tumakuru's Social Welfare Department died by suicide in Pavagada, alleging official harassment in a video sent to colleagues.
