Noida techie death: UP government orders SIT investigation; report to be submitted in five days

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered an official inquiry into the death of 27-year-old software professional Yuvraj Mehta, who lost his life in a road accident in Noida during the night of January 16 and 17. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising three senior officials has been set up to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident. The panel has been instructed to submit its findings within five days. The SIT will be led by the Additional Director General (ADG) of the Meerut Zone, and will include the Divisional Commissioner of Meerut and the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department.

In a significant administrative move following the incident, the Uttar Pradesh government removed Noida Authority Chief Executive Officer M Lokesh, a 2005-batch IAS officer. Officials have not yet clarified whether his dismissal is directly connected to the fatal accident. Yuvraj Mehta died after his vehicle plunged into a deep, water-filled excavation pit on a foggy stretch of road in Sector 150, Noida. According to the post-mortem report, the cause of death was asphyxia resulting from ante-mortem drowning, which subsequently triggered cardiac arrest.

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The techie was driving back to his residence at Tata Eureka Park in Sector 150 after finishing work at his office in Gurugram late on January 16. Due to extremely low visibility caused by dense winter fog, his Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara reportedly lost control and slipped off the road into an uncovered pit on a vacant plot. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the thick fog played a major role in the accident. Despite police reaching the location, Yuvraj could not be rescued in time. A witness named Moninder, who attempted to help, said the victim remained conscious for nearly one hour and forty-five minutes, repeatedly crying out for assistance.

In a complaint filed with the police, Yuvraj’s father alleged that local residents had earlier urged the Noida Authority to install safety barricades and reflective markers near the drain, but no preventive measures were taken. Police officials said that sections of the pit’s boundary wall were damaged, though it remains uncertain how the vehicle fell in and became completely submerged. Authorities are examining factors such as poor visibility and possible speeding.

ACP Hemant Upadhyay said rescue efforts were severely hampered by darkness, dense fog, and the depth of the water. He added that officers were cautious about entering the pit due to the risk of additional casualties.