A 27-year-old software engineer died after his speeding car plunged into a water-filled basement near Sector-150 in Greater Noida late on Friday night, even as he cried for help during a prolonged rescue operation carried out in the presence of his father and police personnel.
The incident took place in Sector-150 when the car reportedly went out of control due to dense fog, rammed into the wall of a deep drain and fell into an under-construction basement filled with water. Police from Knowledge Park police station, fire brigade teams, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and later the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were pressed into service, but the rescue operation stretched for nearly four-and-a-half hours.
The victim was identified as Yuvraj Mehta (27), a resident of Tata Eureka Park Society in Sector-150. He worked as a software engineer with Dunnhumby India in Gurugram’s Sector-54 and was commuting from office at the time of the accident.
According to police, Yuvraj was returning home from Gurugram in his Grand Vitara car when the accident occurred barely 500 metres from his residence. Poor visibility due to heavy fog allegedly caused him to lose control of the vehicle, which broke through the drain wall and plunged into the water-filled basement. With the water level high, the car overturned and began floating.
Yuvraj managed to climb out of the car and called his father, Rajkumar Mehta, informing him about the accident. His father immediately alerted Dial-112 and rushed to the spot. Soon after, police and fire brigade teams arrived with cranes and other equipment, but initial rescue attempts failed.
During the operation, Yuvraj was seen intermittently standing on top of the submerged car. He switched on his mobile torch to signal that he was alive and repeatedly shouted for help. However, darkness, dense fog and poor visibility severely hampered rescue efforts. Fire and police personnel did not enter the water due to extreme cold and the risk posed by under-construction pillars inside the basement.
Eyewitnesses said Yuvraj’s father repeatedly pleaded with officials to save his son. At around 1.45 am, the car along with Yuvraj completely submerged in the water. The SDRF team later reached the site but was unable to proceed effectively due to a lack of specialised equipment.
Subsequently, an NDRF team was called from Ghaziabad. After arriving nearly one-and-a-half hours later, the team conducted a rescue operation for about two-and-a-half hours. Using a steamer and torches, they finally pulled Yuvraj out from nearly 30 feet of water. He was rushed in an unconscious state to Kailash Hospital in Knowledge Park, where doctors declared him dead.
Family members, local residents and delivery workers present at the spot alleged delay and lack of preparedness in the rescue operation.
In a complaint submitted to the police, Rajkumar Mehta accused the Noida Authority of negligence, alleging that the drain had neither barricading nor reflectors. He said residents of Sector-150 had repeatedly raised safety concerns and demanded barricades, reflectors and warning signboards, but no action was taken.
“Despite repeated requests, no safety measures were put in place, leading to frequent accidents. Action should be taken against those responsible so that such incidents do not recur,” he said.
Rajkumar Mehta, a retired State Bank of India (SBI) director, lost his wife to illness a few years ago. His elder daughter currently resides in the United Kingdom.
“Prima facie, the accident appears to have been caused due to high speed and loss of control of the vehicle amid fog, which resulted in the car falling into deep water. A complaint has been received from the deceased’s father and the matter is under investigation,” said Sarvesh Singh, Station House Officer of Knowledge Park police station.