The tragic death of Yuvraj Mehta, a 27-year-old engineer in Noida's Sector-150, known as the showcase of Uttar Pradesh, has cast a spotlight on the nation's bureaucratic insensitivity. It took nearly 90 hours for officials to recover the car Yuvraj had been in when he set off from Gurgaon to return home on Friday night. This isn't just a rusty metal frame; it's a symbol of the widespread administrative neglect that belies promises of citizen safety.
When the NDRF and SDRF teams extracted the gray Grand Vitara from the lethal drainage ditch on Tuesday, those present were visibly moved. Yuvraj had clung to the roof of this vehicle for over two hours, his torchlight a dire plea for rescue. Despite the presence of around 80 personnel from the police, fire, and relief departments, no one dared to plunge into the waters to save the sinking young man.
Had the rescue team descended that night, Yuvraj, who held his torch aloft in hope for over two hours, might still be alive. His father, Rajkumar Mehta, lashes out at the system questioning why a team ill-equipped with swimmers or a boat was deployed at all. Properly equipped, his son might have been saved.
Source: aajtak
Only 20 Days Prior Was This Site Already Known as Dangerous
The burning question looms: could this disaster have been prevented? Aajtak's ground report revealed that on December 31, at the same L-shaped turn, a truck collided with the culvert wall in the fog. Although the driver survived, administration merely removed the truck with a crane and failed to install boulders, barricades, or warning signs. Had those measures been implemented, Yuvraj's life might have been saved. Now, at that curve there are cement road blockers, barricades, and ropes, but the remaining areas still harbor danger.
Why Did Officials Arrive Four Days Late?
The brazen negligence in this system is staggering. It took four days for Gautam Buddha Nagar's DM, Medha Roopam, to arrive at the scene where a promising young man lost his life. She remained tight-lipped when the press questioned her. Politicians were no different; MP Mahesh Sharma and regional legislator Tejpal Nagar also arrived four days late with promises of exemplary measures to prevent future tragedies. Who, we must ask, turned a plush area of multi-million flats into a death trap in the name of development?
Source: aajtak
Builder Arrested, SIT to Hunt for Answers
Following prompt intervention by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the CEO of Noida Authority has been removed. The main accused, Abhay Kumar, the owner of MZ Wishtown in Noida, was apprehended in Haryana's Palwal and placed in judicial custody. Under the leadership of ADG Bhanu Bhaskar, the SIT (Special Investigation Team) inspected the scene. They primarily have three questions to probe: Why was there a two-hour delay in the rescue despite the presence of 80 officers on site? Why had the drainage pit and canal remained open for six years, and why were safety measures not enacted following the December 31 incident?
Source: aajtak
Eyewitness Changes Statement, Raises Allegations of Police Pressure
An added layer to this somber tale involves eyewitness Maninder altering his statement. Initially, he stood firm in the media, asserting that neither police, fire brigade nor the SDRF team entered the water in those crucial hours. Yet, later his statement shifted, suggesting rescue efforts were fully underway prior to his arrival, hindered only by dense fog and darkness. Reports indicate he was held at the police station for five hours. This begs the question, was pressure applied? If so, this instances not just administrative neglect but raises grave concerns over the process's impartiality.
Does Noida-Greater Noida Administration Only Awaken Post-Mortem?
In Noida, the tendency of officials to react after mortality strikes is pronounced. This was evident last March, when another vehicle was recovered akin to a similar fatality. There, a car had plunged into a three-foot-deep culvert in Greater Noida's P-4 Sector claiming the life of a station master. Post this incident, boulder barriers and caution signs became apparent. Thus, the question lingers: will such lethally negligent practices cease across all states from UP to the entire nation? Or will it take another loss of life to jolt awake the authorities?
