Noida Techie's Tragic Death: A Timeline of Failed Rescue
A young software professional met a tragic end in Noida late Friday night. Yuvraj Mehta, aged 27, drowned in a water-filled construction pit after his car plunged into it. The incident raises serious questions about emergency response times.
The Fatal Accident
Yuvraj Mehta was driving home from Gurgaon to Noida. Thick fog covered the roads that night. His Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara went off the road in Sector 150. The vehicle crossed a low, partially broken boundary wall. It landed in an empty plot where a deep pit had been dug years ago for construction.
The pit was full of water. Yuvraj managed to escape his partially submerged car. He called his father, Raj Mehta, using his mobile phone. Then he waited for help, shouting into the dark night.
Police Response and Timeline
Raj Mehta alerted the police at 12:06 am on Saturday. He also started walking toward the accident site from his home, about 900 meters away. The first Police Response Vehicle reached within minutes but could not locate the car initially.
By 12:30 am, a team of nine police officers had arrived at the spot. They called the fire services around the same time. The Station House Officer from Knowledge Park Police Station received information at 12:40 am and reached by 1 am with four more policemen.
Fire services personnel arrived almost simultaneously. However, rescue efforts faced significant delays.
Rescue Challenges and Allegations
Police sources say they tried various methods to reach Yuvraj. They called for mobile cranes and searched for divers in nearby villages. A passerby named Moninder entered the swamp but could not reach the techie.
Moninder alleged that policemen hesitated to enter the water. They cited cold temperatures and possible submerged iron rods in the construction pit. A friend of Yuvraj has also claimed that police were afraid to go into the water themselves.
Authorities contacted disaster response teams between 1:02 am and 1:10 am. The State Disaster Response Force and National Disaster Response Force are both stationed in Ghaziabad. The SDRF arrived at 3:45 am, followed by the NDRF at 4:15 am.
The Tragic Outcome
Yuvraj Mehta drowned around 2:30 am. For approximately two hours, he stood atop his car, crying for help. Rescue teams reached him too late. His car remained submerged in water through Monday evening, with police uncertain about recovery plans.
The incident highlights critical gaps in emergency response systems. Quick police arrival did not translate into effective rescue operations. Equipment shortages and specialist unavailability contributed to the delay.
This tragedy has sparked outrage and demands for accountability. Questions remain about why a young man had to wait two hours for help that never arrived in time.
