Nearly six months after 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta drowned in an unguarded construction trench in Noida's Sector 150, his father Rajkumar Mehta says he no longer expects justice to be delivered. Speaking on 13 July, Rajkumar said he lacks the means to pursue legal proceedings independently and will not approach the courts, instead urging the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure accountability so that no other family suffers a similar loss.

What Happened on 17 January

Yuvraj Mehta died on 17 January after his SUV plunged into a water-filled, unguarded construction trench in Sector 150, Noida, during dense fog. He managed to climb onto the roof of his vehicle and called for help, but delays in the emergency response allegedly prevented his rescue. According to his father, Yuvraj struggled and called out for help for an hour and a half before he drowned.

Three Lapses the Father Blames

Rajkumar Mehta has pointed to three specific failures he believes led directly to his son's death. First, he alleged that whoever dug the trench put no protective barriers around it. Second, he said authorities placed no safety or traffic warnings at the turn where the pit was located, meaning any unsuspecting driver could fall in. Third, he alleged that the rescue team responding to his 112 emergency call turned back halfway and arrived without a life jacket or rope.

'This happened despite him struggling and calling out for help for an hour and a half. Had action been taken, it would have sent a message to society that those guilty of dereliction of duty were being punished. But nothing of the sort happened; life is simply going on as usual,' Rajkumar said.

SIT Report, No Action

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to probe the incident and submitted its report to the Secretary, according to Rajkumar. However, he alleged that despite the report being submitted nearly six months ago, no meaningful action has followed against those responsible.

'The SIT conducted its investigation and submitted its report to the Secretary with great speed. We had high hopes that action would be taken; seeing the officials responsible for the negligence punished would offer us some mental solace regarding the loss of our son's life. Even if some action was initially taken against the negligent officials, it was revoked, and they were reinstated,' he said.

He added: 'While an SIT investigation was conducted, no actual action followed; it was an SIT report without any subsequent action; that is the reality.'

A Pattern of Civic Negligence in Noida

The case comes amid a broader pattern of infrastructure-related fatalities in the city. Last week, another engineer, Aryan, died after falling into a drain in Noida's Sector 57 while commuting to work in Sector 58. Critics argue that both incidents point to systemic failures in construction site safety and emergency response protocols across Noida.

Rajkumar Mehta said his appeal goes beyond his own son's case. He urged the Uttar Pradesh government to enforce stricter safety standards so that unguarded pits and trenches do not continue to claim lives. Without accountability, he warned, such incidents will keep recurring with the same tragic outcome.