‘I tied a rope and went in myself’: Delivery agent recounts failed rescue of techie in Greater Noida

Despite desperate efforts by locals, police and rescue teams, a 27-year-old software engineer who fell into a water-filled construction pit in Greater Noida could not be saved after a prolonged overnight rescue operation, officials said on Sunday.

A delivery agent, Moninder, who reached the accident site in Sector 150 around 1.45 am, said he tied a rope around his waist and jumped into the icy, muddy water when he saw rescuers struggling due to poor visibility and dangerous iron rods at the construction site.

“I tied a rope around my waist and went into the water myself. I searched for the youth and his car for around 30 minutes,” Moninder said.

According to him, the victim — identified as Mehta — was initially seen standing on top of his submerged car, using his mobile phone flashlight to signal for help while calling out to passers-by.

Police said they received information around 12.15 am that a car had plunged into a deep pit dug for the basement of an under-construction building near Sector 150. Multiple rescue teams from the fire department, SDRF, NDRF and local police were deployed, along with cranes, ladders, makeshift boats and high-powered lights.

However, dense fog, freezing water and near-zero visibility hampered the operation, officials said. After more than five hours of searching, the victim’s body was recovered early morning.

The victim’s father, Raj Kumar Mehta, recalled speaking to his son moments before the accident. “I spoke to him shortly before the accident. He told me he was on his way home...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,” he said.

When he reached the spot, the father said he saw a faint beam of light from inside the water after calling his son again. “Somehow, when I called him, he opened the torchlight of his phone inside the car because of which we could see a faint little light from the water body. But it was so difficult for anybody to get inside the water body. Police and other rescue officials tried throwing a rope, but to no avail,” he said, demanding accountability over safety lapses at the site.

Police denied negligence, stating that all possible rescue measures were taken under extremely difficult conditions.

In an official statement Sunday night, the authority said its Chief Executive Officer, Lokesh M, has ordered strict action in the case and directed the immediate termination of the services of junior engineer Naveen Kumar of the Noida Traffic Cell.

Additionally, show-cause notices have been issued to other relevant officers and employees responsible for traffic management in and around Sector 150.