INDIA (ANN/STRAITS TIMES) – Three men tragically lost their lives when their car drove off an incomplete bridge and plunged onto a riverbed in Uttar Pradesh, India, in the early hours of November 24. The victims were reportedly navigating with Google Maps when the accident occurred.
Indian media outlets reported that the victims were traveling from Noida to Bareilly for a wedding when their vehicle veered off the unlit, unfinished bridge into the Ramganga River. Some accounts suggest they were returning home after the celebration. Their car fell over 15 meters before crashing onto the riverbed.
Locals from Allapur village discovered the mangled car with the three men trapped inside on the morning of November 24 and immediately alerted authorities.
“At around 9:30 am, we received information about a damaged car found in the Ramganga River,” a police spokesperson told The Hindustan Times. “Our team discovered a Wagon R, suspected to be a taxi, that had fallen from the incomplete bridge. The bodies of the victims were recovered and sent for post-mortem.”
The victims were declared dead at the scene. Two of the deceased were identified as brothers Nitin and Ajit, aged 30, while the third victim was Amit, 40, The Economic Times reported.
According to Faridpur police officer Ashutosh Shivam, the front section of the bridge had collapsed into the river during floods earlier in 2024. However, this change was not reflected on Google Maps. Shivam also noted the absence of safety barriers or warning signs on the incomplete bridge.
The victims’ families and local residents expressed outrage over the incident, blaming the Public Works Department and local authorities for their negligence.
“The officials must be held accountable for this negligence. Why was the bridge left incomplete, and why were there no safety measures in place?” a relative of the victims said, calling for a formal investigation.
Four engineers from the Public Works Department and a representative from Google Maps are cooperating with police investigations, according to The Economic Times. A Google spokesperson expressed condolences in a statement: “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families. We’re working closely with the authorities and providing our support to investigate the issue.”
