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Noida techie death: Police alerted at 12.06 am, Yuvraj drowned at 2.30. Rescuers reached around 4 am

Night of tragedy at Noida Sector 150: For two hours, the techie stood atop his car, crying for help, before he drowned. What happened during this period? The Indian Express breaks it down.

4 min readNoidaUpdated: Jan 20, 2026 08:37 AM IST

Yuvraj Mehta, 27, was returning home when his car plunged into the drain at Noida Sector 150. (Express Photo/Amit Mehra; File Photo)

The first police vehicle was at the spot minutes after 27-year-old Yuvraj Mehta drove his car into a swamp in Noida’s Sector 150 late on Friday night, and a full team of nine policemen reached in less than half an hour after that.

Yuvraj drowned a full two hours later, screaming for help and finding none, as police and fire services personnel made efforts to rescue him, even as they waited for equipment and specialists to arrive, according to a detailed account of the tragedy provided by sources in the Noida Police.

Yuvraj, a software professional who was returning to his home in Noida from Gurgaon in his Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, went off the road in the thick fog and over a low, partially broken boundary wall into an empty plot on which a deep pit had been dug for the construction of a large building several years ago.

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The pit was full of water, but Yuvraj appears to have managed to get out of the car, which was only partially submerged at the time, and call his father from his mobile phone. He then waited, shouting for help in the dark, as the vehicle slipped slowly into the swamp.

Yuvraj’s went off the road in the thick fog and over a low, partially broken boundary wall into an empty plot on which a deep pit had been dug for the construction. (Express Photo)

The car was still under water on Monday evening, and police officers said they were not sure of the plan for fishing it out.

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

According to officials, the car went off the road just after midnight on Friday, and the first call was made to the Police Response Vehicle (PRV) at 12.06 am on Saturday by Yuvraj’s father Raj Mehta.

Around the same time, Raj Mehta set out on foot for the spot from their home in Tata Eureka Park, around 900 metres away, the officials said. Raj Mehta himself could not be reached for his version.

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A friend of Yuvraj’s has alleged that the police were afraid to go into the water themselves. (Express Photo/Amit Mehra)

Police officials said the first PRV team reached the location within minutes of receiving the call, but could not find Yuvraj’s car. The PRV returned at 12.20 am, after Raj Mehta made a second call, the officials said.

By 12.30 am, a team of nine police officers, including those stationed at the local police chowki, had reached the spot. The first call to the Gautam Budh Nagar Fire Station was also made around the same time.

The Station House Officer (SHO) of the Knowledge Park Police Station in Greater Noida received information about the incident at 12.40 am, and reached the spot by 1 am along with four other policemen, officials said. Fire Services reached almost simultaneously, the officials said.

The officials said Yuvraj had drowned around 2.30 am. (Express Photo/Amit Mehra)

According to the sources, the local police made their own efforts to reach Mehta, including calling for mobile cranes and looking for divers in the nearby villages.

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A friend of Yuvraj’s has alleged that the police were afraid to go into the water themselves. A passerby named Moninder who did enter the swamp but was unable to reach Yuvraj has alleged that the policemen said the water was cold, and that there could be submerged iron rods in the foundation pit dug for the construction on the plot.

According to officials, calls were made to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) between 1.02 am and 1.10 am. Both these teams are stationed in Ghaziabad, and the SDRF reached at 3:45 am, and the NDRF reached at 4.15 am.

The officials said Yuvraj had drowned around 2.30 am.

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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