Google Maps drives three to their death in India

Dubai: Three men from Uttar Pradesh died on Saturday night when their taxi fell off an incomplete bridge over the Ramganga River in Bareilly district, reportedly while using Google Maps.

The victims - Nitin Kumar (30), Ajit Kumar (35), and Amit Kumar (30) - were en route to attend a wedding in Faridpur when the accident occurred, reports said.

The group, travelling from Gurugram, were unaware that the bridge they approached had been rendered incomplete after floods washed away its Faridpur-side approach months earlier. Late at night, the taxi plunged off the bridge, leaving the victims stranded without immediate aid.

The wreckage was only discovered the following morning by villagers from Khallpur, who spotted the vehicle and informed authorities. Rescue teams retrieved the bodies using a boat, and the victims were later identified through documents found at the scene.

Family members expressed outrage over the lack of safety measures. “The road should have been blocked, but it wasn’t. Google Maps also showed the bridge as functional,” said Pramod Kumar, brother-in-law of one of the victims, demanding accountability for the negligence.

Local authorities confirmed lapses in infrastructure and signage. “The bridge is under construction by the UP State Bridge Corporation Ltd. The approach road in Budaun was open, which misled the victims. We’ve initiated an investigation, and action will be taken against those responsible,” reports quoted Faridpur Sub Divisional Magistrate Gulab Singh as saying.

The victims — drivers employed at a Gurugram-based security firm — had attended a family function in Budaun earlier that night. Instead of taking the Moradabad-Bareilly route, they opted for the Budaun-Faridpur path, unknowingly heading toward danger.

Police have sent the bodies for autopsy, while the investigation into the accident continues. Officials have assured that strict measures will be implemented to prevent such tragedies in the future.