After Noida techie’s death, junior engineer sacked and safety lapses probed

Noida: Days after a 27-year-old software engineer lost his life after his car plunged into a water-filled pit in Sector 150, the Noida Authority has taken disciplinary action, terminating a junior engineer and issuing show-cause notices to officials responsible for traffic-related works in the area.

The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, worked with customer data science firm Dunnhumby India in Gurugram. He was driving home late at night when his car broke through a damaged boundary wall and fell into a deep excavation dug for a commercial project near ATS Le Grandiose. The accident occurred around 12.30 am.

Trapped inside the sinking vehicle, Mehta fought for nearly an hour and a half to stay alive. According to reports, he managed to climb onto the roof of the car as it slowly went under water. In a desperate bid for help, he called his father, shared his live location on WhatsApp and repeatedly switched on his phone’s torch, hoping someone would notice him through the thick winter fog.

People near the pit could hear his cries but could barely see anything due to near-zero visibility. They later told police that all they could make out was a faint beam of light coming from the pit.

Mehta’s father, Raj Mehta, a retired State Bank of India director, rushed to the spot after receiving his son’s location. Police and emergency services were alerted immediately, but the heavy fog and extreme cold severely hampered rescue efforts.

Rescuers threw ropes into the pit, brought in a crane and tried using ladders, but none of the attempts worked. A passerby even jumped into the icy water and searched for nearly 30 minutes, but was unable to locate Mehta. The engineer, who reportedly did not know how to swim, held on to the car roof until it finally sank.

His body was recovered around 4.30 am.

Officials involved in the rescue said thick fog, freezing temperatures and the depth of the pit were major challenges. SDRF teams that arrived early lacked specialised equipment, while the NDRF was called in from Ghaziabad, causing further delay.

Residents said the excavation site had been left open for nearly two years without barricades, warning lights or reflectors, making it invisible during foggy conditions. They also claimed that a similar accident had occurred just days earlier, but no safety measures were put in place.

Police described the site as extremely dangerous, especially during winter mornings and nights when visibility drops sharply. 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 endangering life under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Following the incident, the Noida Authority dismissed junior engineer Naveen Kumar of the traffic cell with immediate effect. Chief executive officer Lokesh M ordered strict action and sought detailed reports from concerned departments on the allotment and construction activities at the site.

Show-cause notices have also been issued to officials responsible for traffic management in and around Sector 150. The CEO has directed authorities to re-inspect safety arrangements at all ongoing construction projects.

(with inputs from agencies)