Wedding journey turns tragic: 3 killed after Google Maps guides car to incomplete bridge in Bareilly

Bareilly: A heartbreaking incident in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district left three men dead after their car, misled by Google Maps, plunged off an incomplete bridge into the Ramganga River, police reported on Sunday.  

The accident occurred on Saturday night when the victims, identified as Vivek, Amit, and an unidentified third person, were traveling from Gurugram to Bareilly to attend a wedding. Following GPS directions, the car unknowingly drove onto an under-construction flyover that abruptly ended, sending the vehicle plummeting 50 feet into the shallow river below.  Due to dense fog, the incomplete bridge was not visible.

The damaged vehicle, a Wagon R believed to be a rented taxi, was discovered by locals on Sunday morning. The car lay battered in the river, and all three occupants were found dead. Police were informed and arrived at the scene to recover the bodies, which were sent for post-mortem examinations.  

“At around 9:30 am, we were alerted about a car in the Ramganga River. Upon inspection, it was found that the vehicle had fallen from an incomplete bridge,” police officials stated. “Two of the victims have been identified as Amit and Vivek, and efforts are underway to identify the third.”  

Families demand justice

The families of the victims are devastated and furious, blaming authorities for gross negligence. They questioned why the unfinished bridge lacked proper barricades to prevent such accidents.   

Relatives are pushing for an FIR against the construction department, accusing them of failing to ensure public safety at the site.  

The incident has also raised concerns about the over-reliance on GPS navigation systems like Google Maps, particularly in areas with incomplete or misleading infrastructure data.