An FIR has been registered against the builder after a 27-year-old software engineer reportedly drowned in Greater Noida’s Sector 150. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday when the victim’s car broke through the boundary wall of a roadside drain and fell into a water-filled basement of an under-construction building. The victim, identified as Yuvraj Mehta, lived with his father in a high-rise apartment in Sector 150 and worked in Gurugram. According to police, Mehta lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a turn, causing it to plunge into the flooded basement.
Delayed Rescue, FIR Against Builder
Rescue operations were launched immediately, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the fire department deployed to the site. After hours of searching, Mehta’s body was recovered in the early hours of Sunday. The victim’s father alleged delays in the rescue operation and claimed that barricades and reflectors had been requested near the drain by local residents, but no action was taken. Police continue to investigate the incident, and the FIR against the builder has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Eyewitness Account Highlights Pleas for Help
Eyewitnesses and friends described Mehta’s desperate struggle inside the submerged vehicle, which lasted nearly two hours. Moninder, a delivery agent who tried to rescue him, said, “For around one hour and forty-five minutes, he kept pleading, ‘please save me, save me in any way possible.’” He alleged that emergency responders on site refused to enter the water, citing hazards such as iron rods and extremely cold water. By the time Moninder attempted to enter, he said Mehta had likely already drowned. “I took off my clothes, tied a rope around my waist, and went at least 50 metres inside the water, but could not locate him or the vehicle,” he added. Mehta’s father, Raj Kumar Mehta, said his son called him shortly after the accident: “Papa, I am stuck. The car has fallen into the drain.” Despite reaching the site, he could not assist due to the depth of the water.
Police Response And Rescue Efforts
Police confirmed that Mehta lost control of his Grand Vitara while negotiating a turn, causing it to plunge into the water-filled basement. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the fire department were deployed around midnight. The body was recovered after hours of search in the early hours of Sunday. Chief fire officer Pradeep Kumar Chaubey stated, “The rescue operation took some time. We were at the spot till around 5 am.” Friends of the deceased disputed this timeline, claiming that the rescue teams arrived only by 2:30 am and could not enter the water until 3:20 am. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hemant Upadhyay defended the delay, citing safety concerns: “It was difficult to save him in darkness and dense fog. Entering the water could have caused more casualties.”
Allegations of Negligence
Mehta’s father filed a complaint alleging that residents of Sector 150 had previously requested barricades and reflectors near the drain, but no action was taken. An FIR has been registered against the builder under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Repeated requests for comment from AK Arora, General Manager (Civil) of the Noida Authority, went unanswered.
