Three people died in a road accident after their car plunged off an incomplete bridge over the Ramganga River, connecting Faridpur and Dataganj on the border between Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly and Budaun districts late on Saturday (November 23).
The incident came to light on Sunday, when residents of Khallpur village visited the riverbank and discovered the car submerged in a ditch. On closer inspection, they found the lifeless bodies of the three passengers inside. Shocked by the scene, villagers immediately informed the police.
Digital Map Is Cause Of Incident
The police arrived at the scene, retrieved the bodies, and began their investigation. Police stated that the victims were using a navigation map to travel from Dataganj through Khallpur to Faridpur. Unaware of the incomplete bridge and due to the car's high speed, the driver couldn't stop in time, resulting in the car falling 25 feet into a ditch on the Ramganga riverbed. All three occupants died on the spot.
The bodies were transported to Faridpur using boats and sent for post-mortem examination. The deceased were identified as Kaushal Kumar from Mainpuri, Vivek Kumar from Farrukhabad, and Amit Kumar.
All three worked as security guards and were returning from a wedding. They were allegedly trying to take a shortcut route from Bareilly to Ghaziabad using a navigation map. Police have informed the families of the deceased.
The incomplete bridge had become a death trap due to a lack of awareness. Half of the bridge was washed away during the 2022 floods. Out of 24 pillars constructed for the bridge, 21 are in Faridpur, and three are in Budaun's Dataganj area. The damaged portion of the bridge had been closed for travel, but inadequate signage and reliance on digital maps led to this horrific accident.
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