Rajkumar Mehta, the father of Yuvraj Mehta — the 27-year-old software engineer who died after his car fell into a water-filled pit in Greater Noida last month — has temporarily moved to London along with his daughter, leaving their Noida residence locked. Neighbours at Tata Eureka Park Society in Sector 150 said he informed them of his plans before leaving and indicated that he intends to return soon, even as the family continues to cope with the loss and await the outcome of ongoing investigations.
Yuvraj Mehta lost his life on January 16 when his car plunged into a deep, waterlogged pit near the Sector 150 turn, located barely 500 metres from his home. He was reportedly returning from his workplace in Gurugram when the accident occurred. Police officials believe dense fog conditions that night may have contributed to the incident by reducing visibility along the stretch.
According to preliminary findings, the vehicle broke through a drain wall before falling into a pit estimated to be between 20 and 30 feet deep. Investigators said Yuvraj managed to briefly escape from the vehicle after the fall and called his father to inform him about the accident. Rajkumar Mehta immediately contacted emergency services by dialling 112 and rushed to the location in an attempt to assist in the rescue.
Police personnel, fire brigade teams, and members of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived at the scene and initiated rescue operations that continued for several hours. Eyewitnesses described confusion and delays during the early stages of the rescue, with some claiming that Yuvraj remained standing on top of his partially submerged vehicle for nearly two hours while calling for help.
According to accounts shared by witnesses and family members, Yuvraj repeatedly pleaded for assistance as the vehicle slowly sank. His final words to his father were reportedly, “Papa help me. I don’t want to die,” while bystanders recalled hearing him shout for rescue as the water level continued to rise. He eventually drowned at around 1:45 am.
Officials reportedly expressed hesitation in entering the water immediately, citing hazardous conditions including dense fog, freezing temperatures, and the presence of iron rods beneath the surface that posed serious risks to rescuers. The rescue effort ultimately concluded several hours later, with Yuvraj’s body being recovered roughly four hours after the incident.
During the operation, a delivery agent identified as Moninder attempted to assist independently. He reportedly tied a rope around his waist and swam nearly 50 metres into the water, searching for more than half an hour in an effort to locate the submerged vehicle and the victim, but was unsuccessful. He later left the scene around 5:30 am, stating that he was unaware of subsequent developments.
The post-mortem examination determined that Yuvraj died due to asphyxiation, with cardiac failure listed as a contributing factor. In response to the incident and allegations of delays in rescue efforts, authorities have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the circumstances surrounding the accident as well as the official response. The findings of the investigation are still awaited.
