A Bihar family took the road to Goa for a holiday relying on Google Maps for the directions.
It results a harrowing night for the family in the Bhimgad forest in Karnataka’s Belagavi district, reports NDTV.
Ranjit Das and his family were driving towards Goa when the navigation app suggested a route through the Shiroli and Hemmadaga areas.
On December 4, the family followed instructions that led them 7-8 kilometers deep into the dense Bhimgad forest. Unaware of the impending ordeal, they found themselves stranded in an area with no mobile network, making it impossible to call for help.
With no way to communicate or escape, they were forced to spend the night in their vehicle, isolated in the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous terrain.
The next day, Mr Das walked nearly four kilometres in search of mobile connectivity.
Finally regaining network coverage, he contacted emergency services. Responding to his call, the local police arrived and rescued the family.
Khanapur police inspector Manjunath Nayak reportedly said that after Mr Das regained mobile connectivity and contacted emergency services.
“The Belagavi police control room passed the information to the Khanapur police, who used GPS coordinates to locate the family and reach them with the help of villagers,” Mr Nayak was quoted as saying in media reports.
He further mentioned that the family was fortunate to find mobile connectivity, as the forest is home to diverse wildlife, with a recent bear attack in the area leaving a farmer seriously injured.
This was not the first time Google Maps has come under scrutiny for inaccurate information. In various occasion, the map navigate people to the danger with its errs.
Bd-Pratidin English/ Afsar Munna
