Assam Police Team Held Hostage in Nagaland After Following Google Maps for Arrest Operation

An Assam police team relying on Google Maps faced an unexpected ordeal when they were held hostage by locals in Nagaland's Mokokchung district while pursuing a criminal. The incident occurred on Tuesday night when the 16-member team from Assam’s Jorhat district ventured into Nagaland territory, guided by Google Maps, in their attempt to apprehend a suspect.

The police team, intending to reach a tea estate in Assam, inadvertently ended up in Nagaland due to incorrect directions provided by Google Maps. Upon reaching the location, the police entered the area to search for the suspect. However, locals, alarmed by the sight of heavily armed officers, mistook them for intruders and surrounded them. The situation escalated as the locals attacked the police team and held them captive. One officer sustained injuries during the scuffle.

Upon learning of the situation, Jorhat police promptly contacted Mokokchung Superintendent of Police (SP) for assistance. Following negotiations, a rescue team was dispatched, and the locals, after understanding the situation, released five officers, including the injured one. The remaining 11 officers were held overnight but were released the next morning, bringing the tense episode to a peaceful resolution.

This is not the first time that Google Maps has led travelers astray. In December last year, a family traveling from Bihar to Goa got lost in a dense forest in Karnataka’s Belagavi district after relying on the app for directions. Similarly, in November, three individuals in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly lost their lives after blindly following Google Maps onto an incomplete bridge, resulting in their vehicle falling into a river.