Two tourists from Maharashtra's Kalyan were killed after the car they were travelling in fell into the Kaipuzha stream near Kumarakom on Monday evening, September 23. According to the police, the deceased, identified as Thomas George, who was a resident of Kalyan and Sayli Rajendra Sarje (27), daughter of Rajendra Sarje, was a resident of Badlapura in Thane district.
The incident occurred at around 8.45 pm. When the car was travelling from Kottayam, it lost control and veered off the service road near Kaippuzhamuttu Bridge, ultimately falling into the stream. The Ernakulam-registered car was taken on rent by the people who were travelling in it. Police suspect that the accident was due to the unfamiliar route and confusion over using Google Maps. Meanwhile, hearing the alarm raised by the travellers in the car, locals rushed to the spot to rescue the duo, but they only found the vehicle sunk in the river. The authorities have retrieved an Aadhaar card belonging to the women.
According to the police, George and Sayali Sarje may have visited the area to take a ride on a houseboat. Officials are currently investigating whether they had rented a hotel room, as their bags were found in the car. It is suspected that the driver may have been using Google Maps for navigation. It is claimed that heavy rain made the road difficult to see, and there were no safety warnings posted along the roadside. Around 20 fishermen and locals joined in the rescue efforts. Initially, the car was hard to locate due to strong currents and the muddy depth of the water. A scuba diving team from the fire force department took 45 minutes to retrieve the vehicle, which had fallen to a depth of 15 feet.