In a bizarre incident, five college students from Cuttack, India, endured a harrowing ordeal after Google Maps led them astray on their motorbike trip back from the Saptasajya temple in Dhenkanal. While navigating with the popular app, they were mistakenly directed into a dense forest and remained stranded for 11 hours before being rescued.
The friends, identified as Sujitya Sahu, Surya Prakash Mohanty, Subhan Mohapatra, Himanshu Das, and Arakshita Mohapatra, had reached the temple atop a hill by 11 am on June 30th. After their visit, they relied on Google Maps for their return journey. Unfortunately, the app’s directions proved inaccurate, leading them deeper into the unfamiliar Saptasajya forest.
Despite attempts to use Google Maps to find their way back, the app reportedly directed them further into the forest, heightening their anxiety. Exhausted and lacking resources, they finally reached a restricted area called Bhuashuni Khola by evening. With dwindling options, they managed to contact the local police, who, along with the forest department, launched a search and rescue operation.
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Thankfully, all five students were rescued from the uncharted territory. One of the students recounted their ordeal, stating that Google Maps led them to a nearby “lovely spot,” which turned out to be a dead end. He emphasized their fortunate ability to contact the police before the situation escalated.
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