‘No divers, people recorded videos’: Noida techie’s father alleges grave negligence behind Yuvraj's death

ADaylight after a 27-year-old software package locomotive engineer drowned when his gondola plunged into a water-filled oppose in Greater Noida, his family has alleged serious administrative lapses, saying the “lack of divers” cost him his life.The incident took place on the night of January 16–17 near Sector 150, under the jurisdiction of the Knowledge Park police station. The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, was returning home from work when his car veered off the road and fell into a deep excavation pit on a vacant plot.‘My son struggled for two hours’, says fatherYuvraj’s father, Rajkumar Mehta, said his son remained alive in the water for nearly two hours, desperately calling out for help as people gathered at the site, recorded videos.He was speaking to news agency ANI when he said, “The officials and staff present were unable to save him. They did not have any divers. There is negligence on the part of the administration in this entire matter.”Also Read | Noida techie stood atop car for 90 minutes before it sank: Why the rescue failed“My son was struggling to save himself. My son was crying out for help, asking people to help him, but most of the crowd was just watching. Some people were making videos. My son struggled for 2 hours to save his life," he recalled, demanding strict action and better safety arrangements to prevent similar incidents. Family members and eyewitnesses said Yuvraj survived for at least an hour after the crash on a foggy Friday night, repeatedly calling for help and trying to signal to passers-by his mobile phone's flashlight as his car slowly submerged.A delivery agent, identified as Moninder, who was present at the scene and who also dived in to save the techie, said quicker and more decisive rescue action during that critical window could have made a difference.Also Read | Delivery agent tied rope around waist and jumped into water-filled pit to save Noida techieWhat officials sayThe Noida Authority has said an investigation is underway to determine responsibility for the accident and the condition of the site.Satish Pal, Additional Chief Executive Officer of the Noida Authority, told ANI: "The investigation will reveal whose land it was, to whom it was allotted, and who was responsible for its maintenance. That road is in an area that is not yet a fully developed sector."He added that action would be taken after the inquiry is completed.Police reject negligence claims, cite poor visibilityPolice officials, however, have denied allegations of negligence. Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Rajeev Narayan Mishra said rescue teams from the police and fire department made sustained efforts but were hampered by near-zero visibility.According to PTI, Mishra said a crane, ladder, makeshift boat and searchlights were used, but dense fog made the operation extremely difficult.Earlier, Assistant Commissioner of Police Hemant Upadhyay told Hindustan Times that the depth of the water and darkness made it unsafe for rescuers to enter the pit.“We made all efforts to rescue him, but due to the depth of the water collected in the under-construction vacant plot, it was difficult to save him in the darkness and dense fog. We were afraid that there could be more casualties if someone entered the water to rescue him. It could have been worse for us,” he said.How the accident unfoldedYuvraj Mehta was driving back to his residence at Tata Eureka Park in Sector 150 after work in Gurugram when his Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara reportedly jumped a roadside drain and fell into an excavation pit around midnight.According to police and details mentioned in the FIR, the pit was around 50 feet deep, filled with rainwater, and had no barricades, warning signs or reflective markers.After the crash, Yuvraj managed to climb onto the roof of the partially submerged car and called his father in panic.“I spoke to him shortly before the accident. He told me he was on his way home,” the father said. “A little later, he called again in panic and said his car had met with an accident and fallen into a drain. He asked me to come immediately.”