'Trained rescuers just watched': Delivery agent on Noida techie's drowning
What's the story
A tragic incident unfolded in Greater Noida late Friday night, when a 27-year-old software engineer drowned after his car fell into a water-filled pit. The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, had been calling out for help from his father, Rajkumar Mehta, as he stood atop his submerged Grand Vitara car. Despite the presence of locals, officials and rescue teams, no one was able to save him due to dense fog, freezing temperatures, and the presence of iron rods beneath the water.
Rescue delay
Delayed rescue efforts and negligence at accident site
The accident took place around 12:20am on Saturday when Mehta's car crashed through a broken wall and fell into the pit. Emergency responders, including police, fire department personnel and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) officials, assessed the situation but decided against entering the water due to safety concerns. Witnesses said Yuvraj stood on his sinking vehicle for nearly two hours pleading to be saved before he drowned around 1:45am. His final words were, "Papa help me....I don't want to die."
Unofficial rescue
Delivery agent's brave attempt to rescue Mehta
Just minutes after Yuvraj drowned, Moninder, a delivery agent, arrived at the scene and saw the inaction of official rescuers. "They were saying the water was too cold and that there were iron rods inside, so they wouldn't enter," he told reporters. "I asked them to step aside....I took off my clothes, tied a rope around my waist and dove into the pit. I searched...for at least 30 minutes but could neither find the car nor the man," Moninder added.
Agent
'They didn't move an inch'
Moninder told Aaj Tak that the police squad, which included some senior personnel, didn't have any emergency equipment that could be instantly deployed to rescue Yuvraj. "The fire department personnel had safety jackets and ropes, but they didn't move an inch. When I offered to help, they asked if I could swim and was confident enough to dive into the pit. When I confirmed, they allowed me to go. Apart from me, no one dared to enter," he said.
Aftermath
Post-mortem report and father's allegations
Yuvraj's body was recovered over four hours after the accident. Post-mortem report confirmed asphyxiation due to suffocation as the cause of death, with cardiac failure as a contributing factor. His father, Rajkumar, alleged that many bystanders were busy recording videos instead of helping. "Every time we spoke on the phone, he kept saying, 'papa bachao, papa bachao.' He was also shouting, 'help, help,' so that people nearby could hear him, but most of the crowd was only watching," Mehta said.
Official response
Authorities respond to incident, promise investigation
The incident has sparked widespread criticism over the lack of action by authorities. Additional CEO of Noida Authority, Satish Pal, said an investigation is underway and a junior engineer has been removed from duty. Additional Commissioner of Police Noida Rajiv Narayan Mishra confirmed an FIR has been registered based on 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," he told reporters.