Belagavi, India

A family, who belonged to the Indian state of Bihar, was following the directions given on Google Maps while travelling to Goa. 

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However, the app, instead of taking them to their destination, guided them towards a thick forest zone in Khanapur taluk, Belagavi district.

The situation turned scarier for the family as they had to spend a harrowing night inside their car until the local police rescued them with the help of the villagers, said the police.

Khanapur police inspector Manjunath Nayak said that a family, comprising six to seven members, including children, remained stranded nearly eight kilometres inside the forest.

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“The family, led by Rajdas Ranjitdas from Bihar, had been following Google Maps for their journey to Goa. After passing through Khanapur town, the map directed them to a path between Shirodaga and Hemmadaga villages, leading them 7 kilometres into the Bhimghad wildlife zone on Thursday. With no mobile network in the area, the family spent the night in the car, isolated and unable to contact anyone for help," said Nayak.

“The family, unaware of how to get out of the forest, spent the entire night in their locked car, surrounded by wildlife. The next morning, the family retraced their route for about 3 kilometres, where they regained mobile network coverage. They immediately called the police helpline to report their situation,” he added. 

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Explaining how the family was rescued, Nayak said, “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."

According to the police official, the family was fortunate to get stranded in a location where they had access to a mobile signal.

Here's how netizens reacted

The incident sparked a discussion on social media as many people shared their thoughts on the strange incident.

"Not that Google Maps is always accurate, but while travelling long distance to another state, apart from Google Maps, u need Map reading skills, eyes to read markers and directions on highway and most importantly, common sense (sic)," said a user.

"No one should travel by looking at Google Maps," wrote another user.

"It’s time Google prioritises safety over convenience. These tragedies demand accountability and immediate action to prevent more lives from being lost," commented a user. 

(With inputs from agencies)