Young engineer dies after car falls into water-filled pit in Greater Noida; family alleges rescue delay, JE sacked
PTC Web Desk: A tragic accident in Greater Noida’s Sector 150 has triggered widespread outrage and serious questions about disaster preparedness after a 27-year-old software engineer, Yuvraj Mehta, died when his car plunged into a deep, water-filled pit at a construction site. The victim’s family and eyewitnesses have alleged a critical delay in rescue efforts despite the presence of multiple emergency agencies at the spot.
Deceased Yuvraj Mehta was a resident of Tata Eureka Park society and was returning home from work late Friday night when the incident occurred amid dense fog. His car reportedly fell into an over 20-feet-deep pit, dug for the basement of an under-construction building.
Father recounts harrowing final moments
Yuvraj’s father, Rajkumar Mehta, said when he reached the accident site in the early hours of Saturday, visibility was extremely poor, making it difficult to locate his son’s vehicle. “Somehow, when I called him, he switched on the torchlight of his phone from inside the car. That faint light helped us locate the spot, but no one could enter the water,” he was reported as saying by 'Aaj Tak'.
According to him, police and rescue personnel attempted to throw a rope into the pit, but the effort failed. He alleged that rescue officials hesitated to enter the water, citing freezing temperatures and the presence of iron rods. “If trained divers had gone inside immediately, maybe my son could have been saved,” he said.
Eyewitness says victim cried for help for nearly two hours
An eyewitness supported the family’s claims and alleged that Yuvraj remained alive and pleading for help for nearly two hours after the car fell into the pit.
“The accident happened around midnight in heavy fog. Police, SDRF and the fire brigade were present, but no one went inside. Everyone kept saying the water was too cold or that there were iron rods,” Moninder told reporters.
He added that he personally attempted a rescue after seeing no decisive action from authorities.
“I tied a rope around my waist and went nearly 50 metre inside the pit. I searched for around 30 minutes but couldn’t find the boy or the car. I left at around 5.30 am. By then, the body had still not been recovered,” he said, claiming the victim had drowned shortly before he arrived.
Police deny negligence, FIR registered
Responding to the allegations, Additional Commissioner of Police (Noida), Rajiv Narayan Mishra, said an FIR has been registered based on the family’s complaint and assured action against anyone found guilty.
“We tried every possible way to save his life. SDRF teams were present, but visibility was near zero. Based on the complaint, an FIR has been lodged and the matter is under investigation,” he said.
The police later confirmed that Yuvraj’s body was recovered after an extensive search operation involving the fire department, SDRF, NDRF, and local police.
JE terminated, officials issued show-cause notices
Amid mounting protests and allegations of negligence, the Noida authority took disciplinary action late Sunday night. In an official statement, the authority announced the termination of junior engineer Naveen Kumar of the Noida Traffic Cell.
The Authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Lokesh M, also ordered show-cause notices to be issued to other officials and employees responsible for traffic management and safety arrangements in and around Sector 150.
The CEO has sought detailed reports from departments concerned regarding the allotment and construction activities of real estate developer Lotus, and ordered a comprehensive review of safety measures at the site.
Residents protest, safety lapses alleged
Local residents staged protests following the incident, alleging inadequate barricading, absence of reflectors, and poor warning signage at the accident-prone construction site.
Following the protests, barricades were installed at the spot. Authorities have also directed all departments to re-inspect safety arrangements at ongoing construction projects to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The police have lodged an FIR against two real estate developers based on the family’s complaint, while maintaining that there was no deliberate delay in rescue operations.
Incident sparks debate on emergency preparedness
The death of the young engineer has reignited concerns over the effectiveness of emergency response systems, especially in high-risk construction zones. Despite the presence of nearly 80 personnel from multiple departments, the inability to carry out a timely rescue has left the victim’s family and residents demanding accountability.
- With inputs from agencies
