Chittorgarh, 27 August (Udaipur Kiran). A major accident occurred late Tuesday night in Rashmi police station area of Chittorgarh district. A van attempting to cross a bridge was swept away by the river. Four people in the van were carried away by the water, while five others were rescued with the help of police and local villagers. The bodies of two women and one girl have been recovered, while the search for another missing girl will continue on Thursday. The accident happened after the passengers relied on Google Maps for directions, which led them to a bridge that had been closed for three years, resulting in the van slipping into a ditch and then being swept into the Banas river.

According to police, nine members of a family from Kanakheda, Bhupalsagar police station area of Chittorgarh, had gone to Sawai Bhoj in Bhilwara district for pilgrimage on Tuesday. On their return, they used Google Maps for navigation. The app led them to the Somi-Upereda bridge over the Banas river, which had been closed for a long time and was submerged in water. The driver tried to cross the bridge, but the van got stuck in a ditch and was swept away by the strong current. The passengers called for help, and soon a large number of villagers gathered at the spot. The police were also informed, and senior officers from the administration reached the scene. With the help of villagers and a boat, five people were rescued. Four people, including two girls, were swept away. Civil Defence and SDRF teams were called for the rescue operation. Due to darkness, the rescue operation could not start at night and resumed on Thursday morning.

Search Continues for Missing Girl

All nine people in the van belonged to the Gadari community and were related. Those rescued included Madanlal (25), Hitesh (16), Leela (18), Kavyansh (9 months), and Ayansh (9 months). Those who drowned were Chanda (21), Mamta (25), Khushi (4), and Rutvi (6). The bodies of three have been found, while the search for Rutvi will continue on Thursday.

Google Maps Led to Closed Route

It was found that water inflow had increased in the Matrikundiya dam, and the administration had issued an alert. At 10 pm on Tuesday, the dam gates were opened after sounding the siren. The administration had closed low-lying access roads to the Banas river bridge with stones or JCBs. The family, visiting from outside, was unaware that the Somi-Upereda bridge had been closed for three years. Initially, they tried to cross at the Sankhli route, but found it blocked by a JCB. They then used Google Maps, which directed them to the Somi-Upereda bridge.

Family Ignored Relatives’ Warning

Police collected complete information from the rescued family members. Hitesh stated that they had left home at 9:30 am, visited various places, and had dinner at a relative’s house in Bhilwara. The relatives advised them to stay the night due to the late hour, but Hitesh’s sister-in-law insisted on returning, citing religious reasons.

Rescue Operation Led by Local Heroes and Officials

Local resident Abdul Jabbar played a key role by moving against the river current and rescuing five people. District Collector Alok Ranjan and Superintendent of Police Manish Tripathi visited the site, interacted with villagers, and supervised the rescue operation. Regional MLA Arjunlal Jeengar and the entire administrative team remained present at the site, continuing relief and rescue work.