Bihar Family Stranded in Karnataka Forest After Google Maps Shortcut Leads Them Astray

A Bihar family found themselves stranded in the dense Bheemgad forest in Karnataka's Belagavi district after relying on Google Maps for a shortcut during their journey to Goa. The family was directed by Google Maps to a shorter route through a rugged forest near Shiroli and Hemmadaga, unaware of the challenging terrain ahead.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the family soon lost mobile network coverage and struggled to find a way out. With no clear path in sight, they were forced to spend the night in their car, trapped in the vast forest area. The next morning, the family walked 4 kilometers to a spot with mobile network coverage, where they contacted the emergency helpline 112.

Local police were alerted and successfully rescued the family, escorting them out of the forest and ensuring their safe return. This incident highlights the risks associated with blindly following GPS directions without considering the terrain or road conditions.

This isn't the first case of navigation errors leading to dangerous situations. Earlier this month, a similar incident occurred in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, where a car fell into a canal due to a navigation error on Google Maps. Another tragic accident occurred last month in the same state, where three people lost their lives after following GPS directions onto a damaged bridge that led to a river.