UP villagers beat Google Maps team, mistaking them for thieves
What's the story
A Google Maps survey team was allegedly attacked by villagers in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday, mistaking them for thieves. The incident took place when the team was mapping local streets at night using a camera-mounted vehicle. Villagers mistook the team for thieves due to recent thefts in the area involving suspicious cars.
Incident details
Google Maps team was conducting street survey
Per India Today, the Google Maps team was conducting a street-level survey on August 28 without informing local police or village authorities. When villagers saw the vehicle with a rooftop camera, they suspected it was being used to scout for theft and blocked the vehicle. This misunderstanding quickly escalated into a brief altercation before police intervened to defuse the situation.
Resolution
Both parties questioned at local police station
Both the villagers and the Google Maps team were taken to the local police station for questioning. Sandeep, the team lead, clarified that they had valid permits from central and state authorities. "The villagers surrounded us thinking we were suspicious. If they had checked our documents, they would have understood our purpose," he said.
Advisory issued
ACP advises teams to inform local authorities
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Krishnakant Yadav, however, said that the Google Maps team hadn't informed local authorities before their survey. He advised future teams to notify local police or village heads in advance when conducting surveys in rural areas. No formal complaint was filed by either party, and the matter was resolved after discussions at the police station.