Team Herald
PANJIM: In a tale, equal parts harrowing and absurd, a Bihar family’s road trip to Goa turned into an unplanned jungle safari, courtesy of their not-so-trusty guide—Google Maps.
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The family’s decision to follow a 25-km ‘shortcut’ suggested by Google Maps guided them straight into the dense Bhimgad forest in Karnataka’s Belagavi district. What was supposed to be a scenic drive to Porvorim for an event, turned into a nightmarish adventure complete with zero mobile network. They got stuck in a slushy spot and spent the night in their car, surrounded by wildlife.
According to the police, Rajdas Ranjitdas and his family of six obediently followed the app’s directions after passing through Khanapur town. The route, promising to shave off travel time, instead led them eight kilometres deep into the forest near Shirodaga and Hemmadaga villages—a place more suited for an episode of ‘Into the Wild’ than unsuspecting tourists.
As night fell, the forest offered up its eerie soundtrack of nocturnal creatures, leaving the hungry family huddled in their locked car, too scared to venture out.
With no mobile network to call for help, they were forced to play a tense waiting game until dawn.
Come morning, Ranjitdas backtracked four kilometres on foot until his phone managed to pick up a faint signal. A frantic call to 112 later, the Belagavi Police swung into action, passing on the SOS and GPS coordinates to the Khanapur Police Station. Using their live location and with the help of local villagers seasoned in navigating this treacherous terrain, the police managed to reach the stranded family. They brought them back to civilisation and a hot breakfast, sending them off with detailed directions on how to get to the Goa border.
Inspector Manjunath Nayak of the Khanapur police told reporters, “They were lucky. This area is known for its wildlife, including bears. A farmer recently lost part of his leg to an attack. Villagers here don’t step out alone; they travel with weapons, and in groups.”
Such escapades are not unheard of in and around Goa, where patchy cell network causes Google Maps to glitch, misguiding clueless visitors and reminding them that technology and terrain don’t always see eye-to-eye. It could have been worse; like the trio that plunged to their deaths after they followed Google Maps to drive off an under-construction bridge in Uttar Pradesh last month.
For the Ranjitdas family, the lesson was learned the hard way: when in doubt, ask the locals—or stick to the highway.
