Family Stranded in Forest After Following Google Maps to Goa, Rescued by Police
A family from Bihar got stranded in a dense forest in Khanapur taluk, Belagavi district, while following Google Maps to reach Goa. The family, including children, ended up about 8 kilometers inside the Bhimghad wildlife zone and had to spend a scary night in their car before being rescued on Friday.
Rajdas Ranjitdas and his family followed a route shown on Google Maps through Khanapur town, which took them into the forest between Shirodaga and Hemmadaga villages. They lost mobile signal and were surrounded by wildlife, leaving them unable to call for help.
The next morning, the family walked back about 3 kilometers until they regained mobile coverage and called the police helpline. The Khanapur police, with help from GPS coordinates and local villagers, found the family and brought them to safety.
The forest is home to wild animals, making the situation very risky. Recently, a farmer in the same area was attacked by a bear and lost part of his leg. This incident shows the dangers of blindly trusting navigation apps, especially in remote areas.
It serves as a reminder to be cautious when using GPS, as similar accidents have happened before, like a tragic case in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, where three people died after following wrong directions from Google Maps.
