Trapped for two hours: Noida engineer’s death raises questions on official negligence

A 27-year-old software engineer drowned in Noida after his SUV plunged into a flooded excavation pit in Sector 150 late Friday night, triggering outrage over alleged civic negligence and a delayed rescue response.

The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, was returning home from work shortly after midnight when his vehicle crashed through a damaged boundary wall amid dense fog and poor visibility, before falling into a water-filled pit estimated to be nearly 70 feet deep. Mehta, who did not know how to swim, managed to escape the vehicle and climb onto its roof, where he remained stranded for nearly two hours, repeatedly calling his father and a close friend for help.

Despite multiple emergency calls, Mehta could not be rescued in time. His body and the submerged vehicle were recovered nearly five hours after the accident. Knowledge Park Police Station in-charge Sarvesh Kumar said the incident is being investigated and that legal action would be taken if negligence is established.

‘He was fighting till the end’

Mehta worked at Dunnhumby India, a customer data science firm in Gurugram, and lived in the same sector where the incident occurred. His father, Raj Kumar Mehta, reached the site within minutes but was unable to locate his son due to thick fog and the absence of streetlights or reflectors.

“We could hear his voice but couldn’t see him,” the father said. In his final phone call, Yuvraj told his father: “Dad, I’ve fallen into a deep pit filled with water. I’m drowning. Please come and save me. I don’t want to die.”

According to the family, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the site around 3 am, but lacked adequate equipment. “They only had ropes that couldn’t reach my son. It took them two hours to prepare a boat, and by then it was only used to retrieve his body,” Raj Kumar Mehta.

He alleged that officials on site failed to act decisively despite Yuvraj being conscious and responsive for a prolonged period. “He was cooperating and holding on. Help never reached him,” he said.

Eyewitnesses allege rescue lapses

Pankaj Tokas, a close friend who arrived shortly after the crash, claimed police personnel admitted they did not know how to swim. “Cranes and ropes were brought, but no one entered the water. He stopped calling for help around 2.30 am,” Tokas said.

A delivery executive, Moninder, who attempted a rescue, said he jumped into the pit without protective gear after seeing authorities hesitate. “The fire department had safety jackets and a crane. The man was alive then. He could have been saved,” Moninder said, adding that visibility inside the pit was extremely poor but Yuvraj continued shouting for help.

Sources said while SDRF teams were present, they were not immediately equipped for a deep-water rescue.

A known danger point

Residents said the site had long been flagged as hazardous. Just 18 days earlier, a loaded truck had fallen into the same pit. Despite that incident, no concrete barrier, reflector or proper boundary wall was installed at the sharp turn near ATS Le Grandiose in Sector 150.

Locals said they had repeatedly alerted authorities and protested against the uncovered excavation, which was part of an ongoing project. Another protest has been announced later on Sunday.

Family seeks accountability

The family has filed a First Information Report (FIR), demanding accountability and immediate safety measures to prevent similar incidents. “He was my only son. His sister lives abroad. Nothing can bring him back,” Raj Kumar Mehta said. “But I want authorities to ensure no other family suffers this loss.”

Police said the investigation is ongoing.