The car of a 27-year-old software engineer who died after plunging into a water-filled pit at a construction site in Greater Noida was recovered on Tuesday, four days after the accident, as authorities stepped up their investigation into the incident.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) retrieved the vehicle belonging to Yuvraj Mehta from a deep, waterlogged pit at an under-construction commercial complex in Sector 150. Mehta died on the intervening night of January 16 and 17 after his car reportedly skidded in dense fog, broke through a drain boundary and fell into the pit, which had been dug for a basement.
According to eyewitnesses and members of the victim’s family, Mehta remained trapped inside the vehicle for close to two hours and repeatedly cried out for help. Police and rescue personnel reached the spot, but he could not be rescued in time. His body was finally recovered on Saturday following a prolonged operation involving the police, fire department, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the NDRF.
The incident has triggered serious allegations of negligence, lack of safety measures at the construction site and delays in rescue efforts. Mehta’s father said he had reached the location along with police and rescue teams but watched helplessly as efforts failed to save his son.
“If expert divers had been deployed in time, maybe my son could have survived. Yuvraj kept crying for help as the car went under water,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Uttar Pradesh government began its inquiry on Tuesday. The three-member panel, headed by Additional Director General of Police (Meerut Zone) Bhanu Bhaskar, visited the accident site and held discussions with officials of the Noida Authority to examine the sequence of events leading to the tragedy. The SIT has been directed to submit its report within five days.
“We have been given five days to look into all aspects — including the role of civic authorities, the police and emergency services — to understand what went wrong and whether the incident could have been prevented,” Bhaskar said, adding that the panel would also record the statement of the victim’s father.
Following widespread public anger over the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the SIT probe on Monday and removed Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M from his post, placing him on the waitlist.
Police have registered an FIR under sections related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing death by negligence and acts endangering life under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation is underway.