Yuvraj Mehta, a 27-year-old software engineer, died after his car plunged into a water-filled pit in Greater Noida’s Sector 150. The victim’s family has criticised emergency responders, alleging they delayed action due to the cold water and potential hazards. The incident has sparked concerns over disaster preparedness.
The incident has prompted scrutiny of the local administration’s capacity to respond to emergencies, as three departments and approximately 80 personnel were present at the scene but could not save the young engineer.
The pit where the techie’s car plunged into.
According to Yuvraj’s father Rajkumar Mehta, when he reached the site of the accident in the early hours of Saturday, visibility was poor, and he struggled to locate his son’s vehicle despite calling him repeatedly.
“Somehow, when I called him, he switched on the torchlight of his phone inside the car, because of which we could see a faint little light 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 Aaj Tak, India Today’s sister channel.
Despite the presence of police, the fire department, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), no immediate rescue was attempted.
“Police were called, and some people nearby also tried to help, but nothing could be done to save my son,” Rajkumar Mehta said.
He further alleged that rescuers refused to enter the water, citing its freezing temperature and the risk of hidden iron rods.
Rajkumar Mehta also claimed if expert divers could have gone in, then maybe his son would have been saved.
DELIVERY AGENT TRIES TO HELP
An eyewitness, Moninder, supported Rajkumar Mehta’s claims, saying the victim had pleaded for help for nearly two hours. A delivery agent, Moninder said he jumped into the pit himself in a desperate attempt to assist, as he saw rescue workers struggling to act.
“The accident happened around 12a.m. amid dense fog. After the car plunged into the pit, the man pleaded desperately for help for nearly two hours. The police, SDRF, and the fire brigade were all present, but no one helped him. Everyone kept saying, ‘The water is cold, we won’t go in,’ or ‘There are iron rods inside, we won’t go in.’ The government departments are responsible for this boy’s death,” he told reporters.
Recalling his own rescue attempt, Moninder said: “The boy had drowned just 10 minutes before I arrived. I told them to step aside, and I would go in. They came out, I took off my clothes, tied a rope around my waist, and went at least 50 meters into the pit. I searched for the boy for around 30 minutes but couldn’t find him or the car. I left at 5.30am (Saturday), and until then, neither the boy nor the car had been recovered.”
FIR REGISTERED
Commenting on the tragic incident, Additional Commissioner of Police, Noida, Rajiv Narayan Mishra confirmed that an FIR has been registered on the basis of the family’s complaint.
“We tried every possible way and made all efforts to save his life. The SDRF was also on site, but visibility was near zero. Based on the family’s complaint, an FIR has been registered, and action will be taken against anyone found guilty,” he told reporters.
– Ends
Published By:
Karishma Saurabh Kalita
Published On:
Jan 19, 2026
