UP govt sacks Noida Authority CEO over tragic death of 27-year-old engineer
The action follows the death of Yuvraj Mehta, a software engineer, whose car fell into a deep, water-filled pit at a construction site in Sector 150, Noida. After the accident, he remained alive for nearly 90 minutes.
- Jan 19, 2026,
- Updated Jan 19, 2026 11:29 PM IST
The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday removed M Lokesh from his position as CEO of the Noida Authority after a 27-year-old software engineer died in Noida when his car fell into a water-filled pit during heavy fog. Lokesh, a 2005-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was also removed from his role as Managing Director of the Noida Metro Rail Corporation, as reported by India Today.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took serious note of the incident and ordered a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. The SIT has been asked to submit its report within five days.
The team is being led by the Divisional Commissioner of Meerut, along with the ADG of Meerut Zone and the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department.
The action follows the death of Yuvraj Mehta, a software engineer, whose car fell into a deep, water-filled pit at a construction site in Sector 150, Noida. The accident happened around 12:30 am when Mehta was driving back home. His Grand Vitara broke through a damaged boundary wall and plunged into the pit near ATS Le Grandiose.
Mehta was working with customer data science company Dunnhumby India in Gurgaon. After the accident, he remained alive for nearly 90 minutes. As the car slowly filled with water, he climbed onto its roof and tried to get help. He called his father, shared his live location on WhatsApp, and kept flashing his phone’s torch to signal for help in the dense fog. People standing near the pit could hear his cries, but due to poor visibility, they could only see a thin beam of light, according to a Times of India report.
His father, Raj Mehta, a retired SBI director, reached the spot within minutes after receiving the location. Police and emergency teams were alerted, but thick fog and cold weather made the rescue very difficult. Ropes were thrown into the pit, a crane was brought in, and ladders were used, but none of the efforts worked. A passerby also jumped into the cold water and searched for nearly 30 minutes but could not locate Mehta.
Rescue teams later said the heavy fog, extreme cold, and the depth of the pit delayed the operation. The SDRF team that arrived first did not have the required equipment. The NDRF was later called in from Ghaziabad. Mehta did not know how to swim and held on to the car roof until it sank completely. His body was recovered at around 4:30 am.
Residents said the pit had been left open for almost two years without barricades, warning signs, reflectors, or lights. They also said a similar accident had happened a few days earlier, but no safety steps were taken. Police described the site as a dangerous spot, especially during winter fog when visibility is very low.
An FIR has been registered against two builders—MZ Wishtown Planners Pvt Ltd and Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd—under sections related to culpable homicide, causing death by negligence, and acts that endanger human life under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Earlier, the Noida Authority removed a junior engineer from the traffic cell and issued show-cause notices to other officials responsible for traffic management in the area. Safety checks at construction sites were also ordered. The removal of the Noida Authority CEO marks a strong response by the state government to the incident.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday removed M Lokesh from his position as CEO of the Noida Authority after a 27-year-old software engineer died in Noida when his car fell into a water-filled pit during heavy fog. Lokesh, a 2005-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, was also removed from his role as Managing Director of the Noida Metro Rail Corporation, as reported by India Today.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took serious note of the incident and ordered a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. The SIT has been asked to submit its report within five days.
The team is being led by the Divisional Commissioner of Meerut, along with the ADG of Meerut Zone and the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department.
The action follows the death of Yuvraj Mehta, a software engineer, whose car fell into a deep, water-filled pit at a construction site in Sector 150, Noida. The accident happened around 12:30 am when Mehta was driving back home. His Grand Vitara broke through a damaged boundary wall and plunged into the pit near ATS Le Grandiose.
Mehta was working with customer data science company Dunnhumby India in Gurgaon. After the accident, he remained alive for nearly 90 minutes. As the car slowly filled with water, he climbed onto its roof and tried to get help. He called his father, shared his live location on WhatsApp, and kept flashing his phone’s torch to signal for help in the dense fog. People standing near the pit could hear his cries, but due to poor visibility, they could only see a thin beam of light, according to a Times of India report.
His father, Raj Mehta, a retired SBI director, reached the spot within minutes after receiving the location. Police and emergency teams were alerted, but thick fog and cold weather made the rescue very difficult. Ropes were thrown into the pit, a crane was brought in, and ladders were used, but none of the efforts worked. A passerby also jumped into the cold water and searched for nearly 30 minutes but could not locate Mehta.
Rescue teams later said the heavy fog, extreme cold, and the depth of the pit delayed the operation. The SDRF team that arrived first did not have the required equipment. The NDRF was later called in from Ghaziabad. Mehta did not know how to swim and held on to the car roof until it sank completely. His body was recovered at around 4:30 am.
Residents said the pit had been left open for almost two years without barricades, warning signs, reflectors, or lights. They also said a similar accident had happened a few days earlier, but no safety steps were taken. Police described the site as a dangerous spot, especially during winter fog when visibility is very low.
An FIR has been registered against two builders—MZ Wishtown Planners Pvt Ltd and Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd—under sections related to culpable homicide, causing death by negligence, and acts that endanger human life under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Earlier, the Noida Authority removed a junior engineer from the traffic cell and issued show-cause notices to other officials responsible for traffic management in the area. Safety checks at construction sites were also ordered. The removal of the Noida Authority CEO marks a strong response by the state government to the incident.