Google Maps recently led two bikers to their death after taking them through the shortest route and into a river. The current of the river swept two out of the three bikers’ way, while one of them managed to swim to safety. This occurred near the Barganda area of Jharkhand.
Google Maps is an application most of us depend on almost on a daily basis. It helps us find the fastest route to our destination, through traffic or blocked roads. Very rarely do we find ourselves lost due to the maps’ directions.
In this incident, Google Maps led the three bikers to a bridge that was under construction which was near the Usri River. One of the riders decided to go examine the depth of the water when the unforgiving current swept him away but managed to stay safe by swimming ashore.
His two friends immediately followed to help him but were also taken by the river’s unforgiving strength. They both went missing until emergency teams were deployed and were found 500m from where they went missing. Unfortunately, the two bodies found were already deceased by the time.
The spokesperson and DSP of Giridih police, Sanjay Rana, said, “All three of them, including Shankar Kumar Mehta, who managed to escape are in their early 30s and residents of Hazaribag. The three friends were on their way home and relied on the directions of Google Maps. After passing Giridih College, the map suggested two possible routes. They opted for the shorter route, leading them towards the old bridge, which was still under construction. As they arrived at the bridge, their path forward became obscured.”
Google Maps is one of the most helpful tools in our day-to-day life, making travelling so much easier, even in remote areas. However, not all the time is the map helpful as there may be something on the road which isn’t updated on their software. Following road signs, no matter how much modernisation affects us, will always be the safest way to reach a destination as we won’t have to take our eyes off the road and are clearly marked on highways.
