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Cops and his father watching, Noida techie drowns two hours after car falls in drain

Friend alleges police personnel did not enter water in time to save techie.

4 min readNoidaUpdated: Jan 20, 2026 08:41 AM IST

Yuvraj Mehta, 27, was returning home when his car plunged into the drain. (Express Photo, enhanced with AI)

After screaming for help for around two hours while standing atop his partially submerged car, with policemen allegedly watching, a 27-year-old man drowned in a nearly 70-foot-deep drain in Noida’s Sector 150 early Saturday.

Yuvraj Mehta, a Noida-based techie employed by a Gurgaon-based private company, was returning home when his car plunged into the drain, which allegedly had a damaged boundary wall, around 12.30 am. “The visibility was extremely low due to fog, and the boundary wall near the drain was already broken,” Yuvraj’s father Raj Mehta has alleged in a police complaint.

Yuvraj, who had lost his mother two years ago, lived with his father at Tata Eureka Park in Noida’s Sector 150. He was the sole earning member of the family.

Yuvraj’s friend Pankaj Tokas alleged that after falling in the drain, the victim managed to get out of the car and climbed onto its roof, from where he called his father. “He was six-foot tall, a fit guy but did not know how to swim,” he added.

Cops and his father watching, Noida techie drowns two hours after car falls in drain

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Pankaj said Raj initially reached the wrong location. “He was constantly on call with Yuvraj. He reached the correct spot in a matter of minutes and alerted the police.”

“The police personnel who arrived at the spot kept saying they did not know how to swim. Cranes and ropes were also called, but no one entered the water to save my friend… And then he stopped pleading for help around 2.30 am,” he added.

Pankaj was informed of Yuvraj’s death by Raj around 3 am.

According to Pankaj, Moninder, a passerby, entered the drain around 1.45 am but did not find Yuvraj in a 30-minute search.

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Speaking to The Indian Express, Moninder said, “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.”
Police said they received information about the incident through the Police Response Vehicle (PRV) around 1 am. “The local police immediately reached the spot and informed the Fire department, along with SDRF and NDRF teams,” an officer said.

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The Station House Officer of Knowledge Park police station, Sarvesh Singh, 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.”

Pankaj also alleged, “The NDRF and SDRF teams arrived around 2.30 am but could only enter the water by 3.20 am. By then, no one could hear Yuvraj.”

The body was eventually pulled out around 6.30 am by police. “We have still not been able to find the car. We will be looking for it tomorrow,” Sarvesh Singh said. He added that no FIR has been registered but a memorandum will be sent to the Noida Authority regarding the incident.

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Raj, in his complaint to the police, has alleged that local residents had requested the Noida Authority to barricade the area near the drain and also put reflectors around it. “But nothing was done,” he alleged.

Noida Authority General Manager A K Arora did not respond to repeated calls and messages.

Neetika Jha

Neetika Jha is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in the Noida bureau. She primarily covers crime, health, and environmental issues, as well as human-interest features across Noida, Ghaziabad, and Western Uttar Pradesh. Professional Profile Education: She is an alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Core Beat: Her work focuses on the administrative and social challenges of the NCR's satellite cities. She is known for her detailed reporting on civic infrastructure (like the Noida International Airport), environmental violations, and high-profile criminal investigations. Personal Interests: Outside of reporting, she is an avid reader of fiction (citing The Thursday Murder Club and Yellowface as recent favorites) and a gardening enthusiast. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Neetika’s recent reportage has been dominated by winter-related crises in the NCR and significant criminal legalities: 1. Environment & Public Safety "Greater Noida Authority slaps fines on firms for violating GRAP IV norms" (Dec 21, 2025): Reporting on heavy penalties imposed on major developers like NBCC for flouting anti-pollution construction bans. "Fatal pile-up on Yamuna Expressway: Fog, high speed emerge as key safety risks" (Dec 17, 2025): A major report on a 15-vehicle collision caused by dense fog that killed 17 people. "At Chilla, Kalindi, DND, many fined Rs 20,000 for non-compliance to Delhi's BS-VI rule" (Dec 19, 2025): On-the-ground reporting from the borders where Noida police penalize non-compliant vehicles entering the capital. "Driving in Noida amid fog? New speed limits in effect till Feb 15" (Dec 13, 2025): Detailing the seasonal traffic restrictions aimed at preventing highway accidents. 2. Crime & Legal Developments "'Have you ever heard of a murder case being withdrawn?': Court in Akhlaq lynching case" (Dec 12, 2025): Covering a critical courtroom hearing where the court questioned the UP government's petition to withdraw charges against the accused. "After losing money in stock market, bank employee in Ghaziabad withdraws Rs 64 lakh from customers' accounts" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative piece on internal bank fraud and the risks of modern digital embezzlement. "Woman shot dead by partner in Noida: Three days on, accused still on the run" (Dec 2, 2025): Tracking a high-profile domestic violence and murder case in Central Noida. 3. Human Interest & Features "'Had tears in my eyes': Army men walk bride down the aisle 20 years after father died in terror attack" (Dec 2, 2025): A moving story about soldiers from a Punjab Grenadiers unit fulfilling a father's duty for his daughter. "How a Zepto delivery man heard a cry — and saved two kids dumped in Noida drain" (Dec 2025): A viral human-interest story highlighting individual heroism in the city. Signature Style Neetika is recognized for her meticulous follow-up on local tragedies. Whether it is a massive pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway or the ongoing construction of the Jewar (Noida) Airport, she focuses on systemic lapses and the safety of commuters. Her crime reporting often explores the psychological motives behind "crimes of passion" and the rising trend of financial cyber-fraud in the Ghaziabad-Noida belt. ... Read More

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