Police have registered a case against two builders in connection with the death of a 27-year-old software professional who drowned after his car fell into a water-filled pit of an under-construction real-estate site in Sector 150 of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, early on Saturday (January 17).
The case followed a complaint filed by Rajkumar Mehta, the victim’s father, who helplessly heard his late son pleading for help. He alleged negligence in the construction of a deep drain at the site.
According to Hindustan Timesan FIR has been lodged at Knowledge Park Police Station under Sections 105 (culpable homicide), 106 (causing death by negligence) and 125 (act endangering life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
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“On the complaint of the deceased’s father, a case at Knowledge Park Police Station under sections 105, 106 and 125 of the BNS was registered against the two builders who own the plot,” Greater Noida Assistant Commissioner of Police Hemant Upadhyay told the newspaper.
What happened on fateful night
The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, was driving his SUV through Sector 150 around midnight when he reportedly failed to negotiate a turn due to poor visibility. Police said the car broke through a roadside boundary wall and plunged nearly 30 feet into the flooded basement connected to a drain.
After surviving the initial impact, Yuvraj tried whatever he could to reach safety.
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Since he did not know how to swim, he tried to stay afloat and also climbed the roof of his vehicle and repeatedly flashed his mobile phone’s torch in foggy conditions to attract the rescuers’ attention. But all efforts went in vain as he eventually drowned with rescue teams failing to reach him in time.
Multiple agencies, including the Knowledge Park Police, the fire brigade, disaster response forces, were deployed at the site. However, dense fog, poor lighting and the depth of the water significantly slowed rescue efforts. Yuvraj was pulled out after nearly four hours and taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead. His car was also brought out of the water.
Reportedly, Yuvraj managed to call his father shortly after the accident, informing him that his car had fallen into a drain. His father rushed to the site but alleged that rescue efforts were delayed due to the absence of a trained swimmer.
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Friends of the victim told the Hindustan Times that rescue teams arrived around 2.30 am but could not enter the water until nearly an hour later. An eyewitness quoted in the report said Yuvraj remained trapped for nearly one to two hours, repeatedly calling out for help before losing consciousness.
Police cite visibility, speed
Police have said preliminary findings point to poor visibility and possible overspeeding as contributing factors for the tragedy. A top source in the Noida Authority said a detailed investigation has begun into the case.
Eyewitnesses recalled Yuvraj’s chilling plea for help before he fell silent. His family has also raised serious questions about the pace and conduct of the rescue operation, in which precious moments were allegedly lost.
Yuvraj’s mother passed away a few years earlier, while his sister lives in the UK.
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