Google Maps detour turns deadly: Car with 9 swept away in Chittorgarh river; mother-daughter among 3 dead, child missing | Jaipur News

BHILWARA: Three relatives, including a mother-daughter duo and another woman, died while a six-year-old girl went missing after their car was swept away from a river bridge in Chittorgarh district early Wednesday. Police said Google Maps had led the vehicle with nine passengers to the bridge, which had been closed for three years.The accident occurred around 1.30am. Five people were rescued with the help of boats, even as searches continued for the missing minor late into Wednesday night.The nine were all relatives and members of the Gadri community from Chittorgarh’s Kanakheda village. They were returning from a visit to Sawai Bhoj temple in neighbouring Bhilwara district, and relied on Google Maps for an alternative route as police had erected barricades on roads leading to flooded areas.The app led them to the closed Somi-Uprera bridge over Banas river, which was in spate due to heavy rains that had battered the region for the past three to four days. When the driver tried to maneuver the car across the bridge, the vehicle got stuck in a pothole and was washed away by strong currents, police said. With trapped passengers screaming for help, many locals rushed to the spot and began rescue efforts with aid from the district administration. While they managed to save five people — including two nine-month-old twins — four others were swept away. A civil defence team arrived around 3.15am to assist in the search, but the operation was hampered by darkness. By daybreak, the river’s rising levels further complicated recovery efforts. By Wednesday evening, rescuers retrieved the bodies of Chanda (21), Mamta (25), and her daughter Khushi (4). Chanda’s daughter Rutvi (6) was yet to be located. Chittorgarh SP Manish Tripathi said recent rains had exacerbated the flood situation by significantly raising water levels in the region’s rivers and streams. Police had set up barricades to prevent access to these hazardous areas and minimise the risk of such accidents. In a bid to bypass barricades, the family trusted Google Maps only to land in peril. Rashmi SHO Devendra Deval said closing the upstream dam gates had temporarily reduced water flow, aiding rescue efforts, but the resumption of water release later in the day had increased river levels again, complicating the search for the missing child. The bodies were sent for post-mortem before being returned to their families