The post-mortem examination of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who died after his car plunged into a deep, water-filled pit in Sector 150 of Greater Noida, has confirmed that the cause of death
was cardiac arrest.
The development comes amid triggered allegations of negligence, delayed rescue efforts, and administrative lapses at an accident-prone construction site.
Police officials had earlier said the body was sent for post-mortem examination after being recovered following a multi-hour search operation.
Further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the rescue operation is ongoing.
According to police accounts cited by news agency PTI, the incident occurred in the early hours of January 17 when Mehta’s car went out of control amid dense fog and fell into an over 20-feet-deep pit dug for the basement of an under-construction building in Sector 150.
The pit was filled with water and located near a drain at an intersection under the jurisdiction of the Knowledge Park Police Station in Greater Noida.
Police said they received information around 12.15 am that a car had crossed a drain and plunged into the pit.
A search operation was launched with the assistance of local police, the fire department, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
Mehta’s body was recovered several hours later in the morning.
Preliminary findings suggested that foggy conditions and possible overspeeding may have contributed to the accident, police said.
RESCUE OPERATION AND OFFICIAL VERSION
Senior police officials, quoted by both ANI and PTI, said rescue efforts began soon after the information was received.
Fire brigade ladders, cranes, searchlights, and a makeshift boat were deployed at the site.
Officials maintained that visibility was near zero due to dense fog, making the rescue operation extremely challenging.
Joint Commissioner of Police Rajeev Narain Mishra described the incident as “very tragic” and said police stood with the victim’s family.
He stated that rescue teams made sustained efforts under difficult conditions and denied allegations of negligence.
An FIR was registered at the Knowledge Park Police Station on the basis of a complaint filed by Mehta’s family, and the incident is under investigation.
Police have also lodged a case against two real estate developers in connection with the accident.
DELIVERY AGENT’S ACCOUNT
A delivery agent, Moninder, who claimed to be an eyewitness, alleged that rescue efforts were delayed and that Mehta could have been saved with quicker action.
He told reporters that he reached the site around 1.45 am and saw rescue personnel hesitating to enter the water because of the cold and the presence of iron rods in the pit.
Moninder claimed that he tied a rope around his waist and entered the water himself, searching for the car and the victim for nearly 30 minutes.
He further alleged that Mehta was initially seen standing on the roof of his car, using his mobile phone’s torch to signal passers-by and pleading for help.
According to him, he was later told that if assistance had reached even 10 minutes earlier, the young engineer’s life could have been saved.
He also said that a truck driver had earlier been rescued from the same pit by locals, highlighting what he described as repeated accidents at the site.
FATHER’S STATEMENT AND ALLEGATIONS
The victim’s father, Raj Kumar Mehta, has made allegations of negligence against the administration.
He said his son called him in panic after the accident, saying his car had fallen into a drain and asking him to come immediately.
The father said that when he reached the spot, visibility was extremely poor due to fog.
He claimed that when he called his son again, Yuvraj switched on his phone’s torch inside the submerged car, allowing them to spot a faint light in the water.
Despite attempts to throw ropes and other efforts, he alleged that there were no expert divers at the site.
“My son was struggling to save himself. He was crying out for help, but people were just watching and making videos,” he alleged, adding that his son struggled for nearly two hours.
He demanded strict accountability and improved safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION AND PROTESTS
Following public outrage and protests by residents, the Noida Authority terminated the services of a junior engineer from its traffic cell and issued show-cause notices to other officials responsible for traffic-related works in the area.
It also ordered a review of safety arrangements at the construction site and directed departments to re-inspect safety measures at ongoing projects.
Residents staged protests and candle marches, alleging that repeated requests for barricading and reflectors near the drain had been ignored. After the protests, barricades were installed at the accident site.
