Noida Techie Drowns in Drain as Police Watch, Father Alleges Negligence
A 27-year-old software engineer tragically drowned in a deep drain in Noida early Saturday morning. This happened after his car plunged into the water. Shockingly, police personnel watched the incident unfold without taking immediate action to rescue him.
Victim Screamed for Help for Two Hours
Yuvraj Mehta, a Noida-based techie working for a Gurgaon company, was returning home around 12:30 am. His car fell into a nearly 70-foot-deep drain in Sector 150. The area reportedly had a damaged boundary wall. Dense fog reduced visibility significantly at the time.
After the accident, Yuvraj managed to climb onto the roof of his partially submerged car. From there, he called his father, Raj Mehta, for help. He continued screaming and pleading for rescue for approximately two hours.
Police Allegedly Failed to Act
Raj Mehta reached the spot quickly after getting the call. He immediately alerted the police. However, according to Yuvraj's friend Pankaj Tokas, the police personnel who arrived at the scene did not enter the water to save him.
"The police kept saying they did not know how to swim," Pankaj stated. "Cranes and ropes were called, but no one jumped in to save my friend. He stopped pleading for help around 2:30 am."
Pankaj further alleged that specialized rescue teams from SDRF and NDRF arrived late. They only entered the water by 3:20 am. By that time, Yuvraj could no longer be heard.
Father Files Complaint Against Authorities
Raj Mehta has filed a police complaint regarding the incident. He alleges that local residents had previously requested the Noida Authority to barricade the area near the drain. They also asked for reflectors to be installed. "But nothing was done," he claimed.
Yuvraj, who lost his mother two years ago, lived with his father in Tata Eureka Park. He was the sole earning member of the family. His friend described him as a six-foot-tall, fit individual who did not know how to swim.
Official Response and Ongoing Investigation
Police officials stated they received information about the incident around 1 am through a Police Response Vehicle. They said local police reached the spot promptly and informed the Fire department, along with SDRF and NDRF teams.
Station House Officer Sarvesh Singh of Knowledge Park police station said, "The police made all efforts to save him but the visibility was so low that the man could not be seen. The SDRF and NDRF teams reached two hours late."
The body was eventually recovered around 6:30 am. The car has not been found yet. Police said they will search for it later. No FIR has been registered so far, but a memorandum will be sent to the Noida Authority regarding the incident.
A passerby named Moninder entered the drain around 1:45 am to search for Yuvraj. He did not find him after a 30-minute effort. Moninder told reporters, "The administration is responsible for the death. He kept pleading for help. But these officials kept saying that the water was cold and maybe there were iron rods in the water and none of them jumped to save him."
Noida Authority General Manager A K Arora did not respond to repeated calls and messages seeking comment.
