Noida techie fought for 90 mins before death; junior engineer fired, notices issued to traffic work officials: Top points

Noida techie death: The 27-year-old software engineer whose car had plunged into a water-filled pit at a construction site in Sector 150 in Noida, had struggled for over an hour to stay alive. After the death of Yuvraj Mehta, the Noida Authority has terminated the services of a junior engineer and issued show-cause notices to other officials responsible for traffic-related works in the area. 

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NOIDA TECHIE?

Mehta, who worked for customer data science company Dunnhumby India in Gurgaon, was on his way home, when his Grand Vitara smashed through a damaged boundary wall and fell into a water-filled excavation dug for a commercial project near ATS Le Grandiose. The accident occurred around 12:30 am. 

The techie then fought for nearly 90 minutes to stay alive, climbed onto the roof of his sinking car, called his father, shared his location, flashed his phone’s torch over and over, in an attempt to be seen through the dense fog. While those at the edge of the pit could hear his cries, the near-zero visibility meant they could only make out a ‘thin ray of light’, says a report in Times of India. 

The techie’s father, Raj Mehta, a retired SBI director, reached the spot within minutes after he received his son’s location on WhatsApp. Police and emergency services were also alerted but due to the dense fog, the rescuers struggled to locate him. 

Ropes were thrown to Mehta, a crane was brought in too, and ladders were also tried, but all in vain. A passerby even jumped in the freezing water to search for nearly 30 minutes but could not find the techie, the report added. 

Mehta did not know how to swim but clanged to the roof of the car as it slowly sank.

WHY COULDN’T THE NOIDA TECHIE BE SAVED?

Rescue teams cited thick fog, extreme cold and the depth of the pit as major hurdles in locating Mehta on time. SDRF personnel who had reached first lacked equipment for such a rescue. Meanwhile, the NDRF was called but they were dispatched from Ghaziabad. 

The pit with no barricading, reflectors or warning lights was not visible in the dense fog. The techie’s body was also recovered at about 4:30 am. Residents reported that the excavation site had been left open for nearly two years. A similar accident had occurred days earlier, but no corrective measures were taken, they said.

Police described the site as a lethal hazard, particularly during winter fog when visibility is low. Following the recent incident, an FIR was registered against two builders, MZ Wishtown Planners Pvt Ltd and Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd. The charges include culpable homicide, causing death by negligence, and acts endangering life under relevant BNS sections.

Authorities also stated that they would raise the issue with the Noida Authority to ensure safety lapses in the area are addressed.

ENGINEER FIRED, NOTICES ISSUED

Following the death of the software engineer, the Noida Authority terminated the services of a junior engineer. The authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Lokesh M, ordered strict action and the immediate termination of the services of junior engineer Naveen Kumar of the Noida Traffic Cell.

Show cause notices have also been issued to officers responsible for traffic management in and around Sector 150.

The CEO has sought detailed reports from concerned departments regarding the allotment and construction activities of the developer, and instructed them to re-inspect safety measures at ongoing construction projects in their respective areas.