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A techie drowned in a water-filled pit in Noida’s Sector 150, igniting protests and shocking revelations. The builder was arrested, top officials removed, and a special SIT launched- what failures allowed this tragedy to happen in a modern city?
Society builder arrested after techie drowned in Sector 150
Noida: In a major development in the Noida Sector 150 drowning case, police have arrested Abhay Kumar, the builder of MJ Wish Town Society, following the death of a 27-year-old tech professional whose car fell into a water-filled pit near an under-construction site. The arrest comes a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and ordered a high-level probe.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the state government, reached the accident site on Monday to inspect the area and determine the sequence of events that led to the fatal mishap. The three-member SIT is headed by the Additional Director General (ADG), Meerut Zone, and includes the Meerut Divisional Commissioner and the Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD).
The panel has been tasked with examining possible negligence by civic authorities, developers and contractors, and fixing accountability for safety failures.
In a swift administrative move, IAS officer Lokesh M has been removed from his post as Chief Executive Officer of the Noida Authority and placed on the waiting list. The decision reflects the government’s zero-tolerance stance on lapses that compromise public safety, particularly in fast-growing urban zones.
Following public outrage, the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) announced immediate measures to prevent similar incidents. GNIDA CEO N G Ravi Kumar has ordered a rapid inspection of roads and surrounding areas to identify potholes and unsafe stretches.
Officials have been instructed to fill potholes without delay and clearly mark accident-prone zones, known as black spots. The authority aims to implement corrective measures on priority to ensure commuter safety across the region.
The victim, Yuvraj Mehta, a Gurugram-based techie, was returning home to Sector 150 late on the night of January 16 when his car plunged into a deep excavation pit filled with water. The pit was located near an under-construction site and reportedly lacked proper barricading or warning signs.
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According to reports, Yuvraj cried out for help for nearly two hours but could not be rescued in time. His death sparked widespread anger among residents.
Following the tragedy, residents and the victim’s family accused civic authorities and real estate developers of gross negligence. They alleged that poor site management, lack of safety barriers and inadequate lighting directly contributed to the fatal accident. Protests erupted in the area, demanding strict action and long-term safety reforms.
Authorities have assured that responsibility will be fixed after a detailed investigation and that corrective steps will be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future.
