Hyderabad-based tourists drive into stream in Kerala while using Google maps
Kottayam(Kerala), May 25: Using Google maps to navigate resulted in a tourist group from Hyderabad driving into a stream swollen with water near Kuruppanthara in this south Kerala district, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred late Friday night when the four-member group, including a woman, were going towards Alappuzha.
The road they were travelling on was covered by water overflowing from the stream due to the heavy rains and since the tourists were unfamiliar with the area, they drove right into the water body while navigating using Google maps, they said.
All four managed to escape unharmed due to the efforts of a nearby police patrolling unit and local residents, but their vehicle was completely submerged under the water.
"Efforts are on to pull it out," an officer of Kaduthuruthy police station said.
This is not the first such incident reported in Kerala.
In October last year, two young doctors died in a car accident which occurred after they allegedly followed directions on Google Maps and fell into a river.
Following the incident, the Kerala police had issued cautionary guidelines for using the technology during the monsoon season.
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Delhi: Couple held for stealing cash, valuables from elderly people travelling in e-rickshaws
New Delhi (PTI): A couple has been arrested for allegedly stealing cash or valuables from elderly passengers travelling in e-rickshaws in west Delhi's Moti Nagar area, police said on Sunday.
The accused has been identified as Suresh (25) and his wife, the police said, adding that they were apprehended after an investigation into the theft of Rs 1 lakh from a 60-year-old passenger earlier this week.
According to the police, the complainant, a resident of Kirti Nagar, had hired an e-rickshaw from a showroom on Shivaji Marg on May 13.
The man was carrying a small bag containing Rs 1 lakh cash. After reaching his destination, he found that the bag had been torn and the cash was missing, they said.
An e-FIR was registered at Moti Nagar police station on May 14 and an investigation was launched. A team analysed CCTV footage from the route taken by the complainant and identified the e-rickshaw allegedly used in the crime.
"Using technical surveillance and local inputs, the accused couple was traced and apprehended," a senior police officer said.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that they used to target elderly passengers travelling in e-rickshaws and steal cash and valuables from their bags during transit without raising suspicion.
Police recovered Rs 90,000 of the stolen amount from the possession of the accused along with the e-rickshaw used in the commission of the offence.
"The accused had no previous criminal involvement on record. Further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the couple was involved in other similar theft cases targeting passengers and senior citizens in different parts of the city," the police officer added.
