Noida techie death: Police deny delay charge but delivery agent says otherwise

Amid allegations of negligence and delay in rescue efforts following the death of software engineer 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.

Mehta’s car fell into a 20-feet-deep, water-filled pit dug for the basement of an under-construction building in Greater Noida’s Sector 150 in the early hours of Saturday (January 17). He reportedly remained stuck inside the submerged car for close to two hours but no one could help him, raising serious questions on the promptness of security and rescue personnel.

Police, while denying negligence in the rescue operation, have lodged an FIR against two real estate developers on a complaint by the 27-year-old software engineer’s family.

Delivery agent jumped into pit

However, a delivery agent, who reached the site after the accident, said on Sunday that he himself jumped into the pit in a desperate attempt to help the victim when he saw rescue workers struggling. Mehta’s father, Raj Kumar Mehta, has also demanded accountability for what he termed negligence at the site.

Moninder, the delivery agent, said he was at the accident site in Sector 150 around 1.45 am Saturday and alleged that rescue personnel were initially reluctant to enter the water because of the cold, poor visibility and the presence of iron rods at the construction site.

Also read: Two Noida builders booked over techie's death in water-filled pit of construction site

“I tied a rope around my waist and went into the water myself. I searched for the youth and his car for around 30 minutes,” Moninder told reporters, adding that he was later told that “if help had reached 10 minutes earlier, the techie could have been saved”.

He claimed that Mehta was initially seen standing on the roof of his car, using his mobile phone’s torch to signal passers-by and pleading for help.

Moninder also said another accident had also taken place in the same ditch but the truck driver on that occasion was rescued by locals using ropes and a ladder.

Police deny allegations of delay

Police, however, rejected allegations of negligence. Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Rajeev Narayan Mishra said police and fire department teams made efforts to save the youth and deployed a crane, ladder, makeshift boat and searchlights, but visibility was near zero due to fog.

According to the Knowledge Park police station, information was received around 12.15 am that a car had fallen into a pit dug for the basement of an under-construction building near Sector 150.

After an over five-hour search operation, the body was recovered later on Saturday morning with the help of teams from the fire department, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the local police.

Action against officials

The Noida Authority, in an official statement Sunday night, said its Chief Executive Officer, Lokesh M, has ordered strict action in the case and directed the immediate termination of the services of junior engineer Naveen Kumar of the Noida Traffic Cell.

Additionally, show-cause notices have been issued to other relevant officers and employees responsible for traffic management in and around Sector 150.

Also read: ‘Papa, I am stuck’: Noida techie’s last call before drowning after car crash

The CEO has further sought detailed reports from the concerned departments regarding the allotment and construction activities of the developer, Lotus, and directed a review of safety arrangements at the site, it stated.

Stating that negligence of safety norms at construction sites would not be tolerated, the authority said all departments have been instructed to re-inspect safety measures at ongoing construction projects in their respective areas to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

What father says

Raj Kumar Mehta, described his last conversation with his son. “I spoke to him shortly before the accident. He told me he was on his way home,” the grieving father said. “A little later, he called again in panic and said his car had met with an accident and fallen into a drain. He asked me to come immediately.”

Sensing the urgency, he rushed to the spot. “Police were called and some people nearby also tried to help, but nothing could be done to save my son,” he said. The father said when he reached the spot, he again called his son but could not locate the vehicle as the visibility was low.

“Somehow, when I called him, he opened the torchlight of his phone inside the car because of which we could see a faint little light from the water body. But it was so difficult for anybody to get inside the water body. Police and other rescue officials tried throwing a rope, but to no avail,” he told reporters.

The father also claimed if expert divers could have gone in then maybe his son would have been saved. Local residents staged protests on Sunday, alleging inadequate barricading and a lack of reflectors at the accident-prone site. Following protests, the Noida Authority has installed barricades at the spot.

(With agency inputs)