Techie's death: CM orders SIT probe, Noida Authority CEO removed amid allegations of negligence

Lucknow/Noida, Jan 19 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday removed the Noida Authority CEO and ordered an SIT probe into the death of the software engineer whose car plunged into a water-filled pit at an under-construction site in Noida's Sector 150, triggering widespread outrage, protests and allegations of official and developer negligence.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and directed the constitution of a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the circumstances leading to the fatal accident and submit a report within five days.

Shortly after, the state government shunted out Lokesh M, a 2005-batch senior IAS officer, from the post of Noida Authority CEO and placed him on a waitlist, according to an official order.

Lokesh M, who had assumed charge as Noida Authority CEO in July 2023 after replacing Ritu Maheshwari, also served as the de facto managing director of the Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC). A qualified dentist from Karnataka, he had earlier served as divisional commissioner in Kanpur and Saharanpur.

Only a day earlier amid mounting criticism, Lokesh M ordered the termination of a junior engineer and issued show-cause notices to other officials responsible for traffic-related works in Sector 150.

In an official statement, the Authority removed junior engineer Naveen Kumar of the Noida Traffic Cell from service and sought detailed reports on the allotment and construction activities of the developer, Lotus Greens. The now-removed CEO also directed all departments to re-inspect safety measures at ongoing construction sites to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

A UP Irrigation Department letter to the Noida Authority in 2023 that flagged the need to construct head regulators to flush out accumulated rain and drain water in Sector 150 has been accessed by PTI. A Noida Authority official said he was not aware of the letter.

On the chief minister's directions, a three-member SIT headed by Additional Director General (ADG), Meerut Zone, Bhanu Bhasker, has been constituted. Meerut Divisional Commissioner Hrishikesh Bhaskar and Public Works Department Chief Engineer Ajay Verma are members of the panel.

"The team has been asked to conduct a detailed investigation and submit its report to the chief minister within five days," an official statement said.

SIT member Ajay Verma told PTI that the panel would visit Noida on Tuesday, adding that it was too early to comment on details.

The action follows the death of Yuvraj Mehta, a 27-year-old software engineer, who was killed in the early hours of Saturday after his car allegedly skidded in dense fog, broke a drain boundary and fell into a deep, waterlogged pit dug for a basement at an under-construction commercial site near a drain.

Mehta, a resident of Tata Eureka Park society, worked with a Gurugram-based company and was returning home late at night when the accident occurred.

His body was recovered after a prolonged search operation involving the fire department, police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

The post-mortem examination conducted on Monday revealed that Mehta died due to asphyxia followed by cardiac arrest, police said. The report noted that his nose was blocked with mud and water, indicating drowning. His last rites were performed later in the day in Haridwar in the presence of his father Raj Kumar Mehta and other family members.

The incident has sparked allegations of negligence, inadequate safety arrangements and delays in rescue efforts, with his father saying he had reached the spot and police, other rescue personnel were also there but they could not save him.

"If expert divers could have gone in, then maybe my son would have been saved. Yuvraj kept crying for help as the car drowned," he lamented while speaking to reporters.

An eyewitness, Monidra, a delivery agent, alleged that timely intervention could have saved the techie. Local residents staged protests over the weekend, accusing authorities and developers of ignoring repeated complaints about waterlogging, lack of barricading and absence of reflectors near the drain and construction site.

Police have registered an FIR against two real estate developers -- M/s Wishtown Planners and Lotus Greens -- under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 106 (causing death by negligence) and 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The FIR was lodged at Knowledge Park police station on a complaint by Mehta's father.

"There was no barricading or reflective signage around the plot, which led to the accident. It alleged gross negligence on the part of the planners and developers," he said, demanding accountability, saying he wanted action to ensure "nobody else loses their son like this" in future.

Further scrutiny has emerged over ignored warnings related to drainage in the area.

An official communication issued by the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department in 2023, accessed by PTI, had flagged the need to construct head regulators in Sector 150 to flush out accumulated rainwater and drain discharge by channelising it into the Hindon river.

The letter also mentioned that budgetary provisions had been made for the proposed work while an estimate budget running into crore was prepared in 2023, but the project was never taken up.

Locals said the tragedy could have been avoided had the head regulators been constructed, as the accumulated water would not have stagnated at the site.

A head regulator regulates water flow and prevents excess silt and water accumulation in drains and canals.

When contacted, a Noida Authority official on Monday said they were not aware of the Irrigation Department's letter.

Officials said the partially constructed basement where Mehta's car fell had accumulated water not only due to rainfall but also because of continuous discharge from drains connected to nearby residential societies.

With restrictions on releasing excess water into the Hindon river, the water level at the site kept rising over time. Following protests, the Noida Authority installed barricades at the site.

Reacting to the incident, Gautam Buddh Nagar MP and BJP leader Mahesh Sharma described the techie's death as "sad and disturbing".

"Such an incident should not have happened in a place like Noida. Even after it occurred, arrangements that should have been available were lacking, which adds to the concern," Sharma told PTI Videos, adding that accountability must be fixed to set an example.

Lotus Greens, one of the developers named in the FIR, said it had no role in the incident, claiming the plot was transferred in 2019-20 to the Grihapravesh Group with the approval of the Noida Authority.

"We fully condemn the incident. However, Lotus Greens has no role to play as the said plot was transferred... and they are the current directors of the entity holding the plot," a spokesperson of the company said, adding that it stands with the family in seeking justice. PTI COR KIS SKY SKY