Key Points:
A 27-year-old software engineer, Yuvraj Mehta, died after his car plunged into a water-filled basement amid dense fog in Greater Noida.
A Flipkart delivery agent who attempted to rescue him alleged negligence by authorities.
Mehta made a distress call to his father saying, “I don’t want to die,” before the rescue operation failed.
A rescue operation to save 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who met his tragic fate in the late hours of January 16, 2026, failed after his vehicle drowned in a water-filled pit in Greater Noida. The victim was returning home after work when, due to dense fog, his car met with an accident and entered a water-filled basement of an under-construction mall.
The victim’s father alleged that Mehta’s tragic death could have been avoided had there been proper reflectors and drain coverage. The incident gained widespread attention after a Flipkart delivery agent named Moninder attempted to rescue the victim, crying for help, and became one of the first responders to act promptly. The rescue operation lasted for nearly five hours but ended in vain after Mehta died.
The delivery agent recalled the night, stating that he heard the cries of a man begging for help after his car fell into the basement. Moninder said, “For nearly one hour and forty-five minutes, the boy (Yuvraj Mehta) kept pleading, ‘Brother, save me somehow.’”
He further stated that the security personnel, including the police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the fire brigade, who were present at the scene for the rescue operation, refused to enter the pit. Moninder alleged that they cited reasons such as the water being cold and the risks involved in conducting the operation.
When Moninder saw the rescue personnel’s hesitation, he immediately jumped into the water after tying a rope around his waist. However, by the time he reached Mehta, he had already passed away. According to a police statement, Mehta was able to escape from the drowning vehicle, stood on it, and flashed his torch.
The victim shouted for help for a prolonged period but failed to get assistance due to the thick fog, which reduced visibility. He had also contacted his father, Rajkumar Mehta, about the situation he was in. The victim told his father over the phone, “Dad, I’ve fallen into a deep pit filled with water. I’m drowning. Please come and save me. I don’t want to die.”
Moninder told News18 that there were people present who had access to appropriate equipment that could have helped the victim. “He kept pleading for help, which fell on deaf ears. There were over 100 men around, but no one stepped up to help him,” the delivery agent said.
After Mehta’s untimely death, his family filed a complaint accusing the authorities of neglecting their responsibilities. The victim’s father said that the accident in the first place was caused by the absence of reflectors along the road, which could have alerted drivers amid dense fog. He further stated that his son was stuck in a pit filled with cold water for over two hours and that the officials present at the scene were unable to save him.
“They did not have any divers. There is negligence on the part of the administration in this entire matter,” he said. He further told ANI that he was demanding proper action “so that such an incident does not happen again.” According to media reports, chief executive officer Lokesh M has ordered the termination of junior engineer Naveen Kumar of the Noida traffic cell as action in the matter.
[VS]
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