NOIDA: On Tuesday, authorities arrested the director of a real estate company regarding the tragic death of a 27-year-old software engineer. The victim’s vehicle had fallen into a water-filled pit at a construction site in Noida’s Sector 150. Officials confirmed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has begun its inquiry into the incident.
Police arrested Abhay Kumar, the director of MZ Wiztown Planners and one of the accused, in Sector 150. According to Additional Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Hemant Upadhyay, he is currently in custody.
The police had previously filed a First Information Report (FIR) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder against two real estate developers—MZ Wiztown Planners and Lotus Greens. This was launched following a complaint from the victim’s father, Raj Kumar Mehta, who cited negligence by local authorities and demanded accountability.
No updates regarding actions against the other accused firm were provided by the police.
Yuvraj Mehta lost his life on the night of Friday to Saturday when his car skidded in dense fog, broke through a drain barrier, and plunged into a deep pit intended for the basement of a commercial complex. Eyewitnesses reported that he begged for help for two hours but was not rescued in time by the police and emergency responders.
The rescue operation, which involved the fire department, police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), eventually located his body after a lengthy search. The NDRF utilized boats and divers to recover his vehicle.
Pradeep Chaubey, CFO of Gautam Buddha Nagar, stated that the location of the car was identified around 3 PM, and efforts were underway to retrieve it.
The SIT, led by Additional Director General (ADG) Bhanu Bhaskar, visited the accident site on Tuesday and held discussions with Noida Authority officials to assess the circumstances of the incident.
This three-member SIT includes ADG Bhanu Bhaskar, Meerut Divisional Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami, and Public Works Department Chief Engineer Ajay Verma. They have been instructed to submit their findings within five days.
“We have five days to investigate all factors and determine the causes of this incident,” Bhaskar mentioned to reporters after the meeting. “We will examine the roles of civic authorities, police, and emergency services before presenting our report to the government. We also plan to speak with the victim’s father.”
Noida District Magistrate Medha Roopam, accompanying the SIT, avoided questions from the media.
In response to public outcry regarding officials and developers’ negligence, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the formation of the SIT on Monday evening. He also suspended senior IAS officer Lokesh M as CEO of Noida Authority.
The FIR includes charges under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 106 (causing death by negligence), and 125 (endangering life or personal safety) as per the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Investigations are ongoing.
The incident has highlighted allegations of negligence, insufficient safety measures, and delays in rescue efforts. The victim’s father remarked that he arrived at the scene with police and rescue personnel but was unable to save his son.
“If only expert divers had been deployed immediately, perhaps my son could have been saved. Yuvraj was crying for help as the car went under,” he said to reporters.
Raising the issue of the engineer’s death, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that India’s urban crisis is not due to financial or technological inadequacies, but rather a lack of accountability.
In a post on X, Gandhi emphasized, “Roads kill, bridges kill, fires kill, water kills, pollution kills, corruption kills, indifference kills. India’s urban collapse isn’t about lack of resources or solutions—it’s about the absence of accountability.”
He shared a video of an eyewitness suggesting that immediate action could have saved the victim, along with remarks from the victim’s father about bystanders who failed to intervene.
