NOIDA – A distressing video has surfaced capturing the final moments of Yuvraj Mehta, a 27-year-old software engineer who lost his life after his vehicle plunged into a deep, water-filled pit in Noida’s Sector 150. The footage reveals that Mehta survived the initial crash and signaled for help for an extended period, though rescue efforts failed to reach him in time.
The tragedy unfolded shortly after midnight on January 17. Mehta was driving his Grand Vitara when the vehicle breached a damaged boundary wall, falling into an excavation site estimated to be nearly 30 feet deep. The pit, dug for a commercial project, was filled with water.
According to police and rescue teams, dense winter fog rendered the area almost invisible. There were no warning lights, signs, reflectors, or barricades installed around the hazardous site.
A SIGNAL IN THE DARK
Footage recorded from the edge of the pit depicts near-total darkness, broken only by a faint beam of light Mehta’s mobile phone torch. This light served as his final distress signal, flashing repeatedly from the center of the pond to indicate he was still alive.
Despite being unable to swim, Mehta managed to exit the sinking car and climb onto its roof as it filled with water. From this precarious position, he called his father, Rajkumar Mehta, to inform him of the accident and shared his live location via WhatsApp.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing his screams and seeing the small light from his mobile phone but stated there was no way for them to reach him.
THE RESCUE TIMELINE
Mehta struggled against exhaustion, the freezing water, and dense fog for nearly 90 minutes. While police arrived at the scene within nine minutes of the emergency call, the operation was hampered by poor visibility and inaccessible terrain.
A timeline of the response reveals the delays faced by emergency services:
- 12:04 am: Rajkumar Mehta received the call from his son regarding the accident.
- 12:15 am: A police response vehicle arrived at the Sector 150 site.
- 12:50 am: The fire brigade reached the location.
- 1:15 am: The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) arrived.
- 1:55 am: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reached the site.
DELAYED ARRIVAL OF RESCUE TEAMS
Rescue teams were forced to clear thick mud to create an access path from the opposite bank before boats could be launched. Officials noted that the dense fog reduced visibility to near zero, and local police personnel present at the scene did not know how to swim, further complicating immediate rescue attempts.
Police and fire department teams utilized searchlights, ladders, cranes, and makeshift boats during the operation. Search efforts continued through the night, concluding at approximately 4:30 am when Mehta’s body was recovered. The Grand Vitara was retrieved from the pit later on Tuesday evening.