Noida, January 19, 2026: In a heroic but tragic incident, a 27-year-old software engineer, Yuvraj Mehta, drowned after his car fell into a 50-foot-deep, water-filled excavation pit in Sector 150, Greater Noida, on the night of January 16–17. Amid criticism of the emergency response, a delivery agent, Moninder, took matters into his own hands, risking his life to try and save the young man.

Delivery Agent’s Brave Attempt

According to Moninder, he arrived at the accident site around 1:45 am and noticed hesitation among police and rescue personnel.

“The police were present at the spot, along with the SDRF. Fire brigade personnel were also there. But no one helped him. They were saying, ‘The water is too cold. We won’t go inside. There are iron rods inside. We won’t go,’” Moninder told reporters.

Taking initiative, he tied a rope around his waist and entered the pit, venturing around 50 metres into the water. He searched for Yuvraj and his submerged car for approximately 30 minutes but could not locate them.

“The boy had drowned about 10 minutes before I reached. I told them (rescuers) to come out and said I would go inside,” he recalled.

Moninder highlighted that quicker and decisive rescue efforts during the critical hour could have potentially saved Yuvraj.

How the Accident Happened

Yuvraj was returning home from work in Tata Eureka Park, Gurugram, when his Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara reportedly jumped a roadside drain and plunged into the pit, which lacked barricades, reflective markers, or warning signs.

He initially climbed onto the roof of the partially submerged car and even tried to signal passers-by using his phone’s torchlight, repeatedly calling his father in panic.

“A little later, he called again in panic and said his car had met with an accident and fallen into a drain. He asked me to come immediately,” said Raj Kumar Mehta, Yuvraj’s father.

Emergency Response and Challenges

Police and fire officials defended the rescue operation, citing near-zero visibility due to dense fog, the depth of the water, and dangerous conditions.

• Ropes, ladders, and cranes could not bridge the distance between the road and the pit.
• The NDRF team took time to arrive from Ghaziabad.
• The car finally submerged completely after around 90 minutes, and Yuvraj could not be saved.

“We made all efforts to rescue him… but it was risky. It could have caused more casualties if someone entered the water,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police Hemant Upadhyay.

Yuvraj’s body was eventually recovered using a boat.

Official Actions Post-Incident

Following the tragedy:

• Police filed a case of culpable homicide against two real estate companies responsible for the site.
• The Noida Authority terminated a junior engineer from the Traffic Cell.
• Show-cause notices were issued to officials responsible for traffic and safety-related work in the area.

Heroism Amid Tragedy

While the incident has sparked scrutiny of emergency preparedness and site safety, Moninder’s actions stand out as a rare act of bravery, highlighting how individual courage sometimes steps in when formal mechanisms falter.