Noida: Techie drowns in mall-site pit after car accident
What's the story
A 27-year-old software engineer identified as Yuvraj Mehta drowned after his car fell into a water-filled basement near Sector-150 in Greater Noida late Friday night. The incident happened when Mehta was returning home from work at Dunnhumby India in Gurugram. His car lost control due to dense fog and broke through a drainage boundary before plunging into the basement.
Rescue challenges
Rescue efforts hindered by weather conditions
Despite being around 500 meters from home, Mehta's car hit the drain wall and fell into a water-filled basement. The high water level caused the car to overturn and float. Mehta managed to escape the vehicle and called his father, Rajkumar Mehta, who alerted emergency services. A rescue operation was launched by police from the Knowledge Park police station, fire brigade teams, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
Negligence allegations
Mehta's father accuses authorities of negligence
During the rescue operation, Mehta was seen intermittently standing on top of the car and signaling for help with a torch. However, darkness and fog made visibility difficult. An NDRF team from Ghaziabad reached after about an-hour-and-a-half after the distress call, and searched for him for another two-and-a-half hours using a steamer and torches. He was rushed to Kailash Hospital, where he was declared dead.
Action demanded
Victim's father demands action against responsible officials
Mehta's father has accused the Noida Authority of negligence for not providing necessary safety measures like barricading or reflectors near the drain. He said residents had repeatedly requested these safety measures, but no action was taken. "Despite repeated requests, no safety arrangements were made, leading to frequent accidents," he said in his complaint. Sarvesh Singh, Station House Officer at Knowledge Park police station, said investigations are underway into the incident.