Deadly pit, no warnings: Builders face fresh FIR in Noida techie death
A patrol on January 20 revealed a “very large and wide pit” at plot number SC-02/A3 in Sector 150, located close to a public road.
A patrol on January 20 revealed a “very large and wide pit” at plot number SC-02/A3 in Sector 150, located close to a public road.
A patrol on January 20 revealed a “very large and wide pit” at plot number SC-02/A3 in Sector 150, located close to a public road.
Noida: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the death of a software engineer in Noida has registered a fresh FIR against five builders associated with Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd and MZ Wiztown Planners Pvt Ltd for alleged breaches of environmental and pollution control laws.
Yuvraj Mehta (27), who worked in Gurugram, was returning home on the night of January 16 when his car fell into the deep, water-filled pit near a construction site in Sector 150. He died after allegedly pleading for help for nearly two hours, even as police, the NDRF and the SDRF tried to save him amid the dense fog, while his helpless father, Raj Kumar Mehta, witnessed the tragedy unfold.
According to PTI, the SIT has sought information from multiple departments of the Noida Authority, including civil, projects and traffic divisions, regarding development work in Sector 150, particularly near the accident site.
The three-member SIT is required to submit its report to the government by Saturday. SIT chief and ADG (Meerut Zone) Bhanu Bhaskar had informed reporters about the timeline on the first day of inspections.
On Wednesday, a new case was registered at the Knowledge Park police station against Abhay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Manish Kumar, Anchal Bohra and Nirmal Kumar. The FIR invokes Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Sections 24 and 43 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; and Sections 290, 270 and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the complaint filed by local sub-inspector Regal Kumar, a patrol on January 20 revealed a “very large and wide pit” at plot number SC-02/A3 in Sector 150, located close to a public road. The pit appeared to have been dug using heavy machinery and had remained waterlogged for several years.
The FIR stated that the pit was extremely deep and that prolonged stagnation had caused severe pollution, turning the water muddy. It further noted that rainwater had carried garbage into the pit, worsening air pollution and posing serious risks to public health and safety.
Police observed that there was no fencing, warning signage or safety barricading around the pit. Leaving such a large, open and water-filled pit near a public road for an extended period created a grave threat to human life and heightened the risk of serious accidents, the FIR said, describing it as a public nuisance.
The FIR also pointed out that construction sites were located close to the pit, suggesting violations of construction management norms. Residents have complained that foul odour from the stagnant water makes breathing difficult when winds blow towards nearby residential areas.
During the probe, police found that the plot was allotted by the Noida Authority to Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd in 2014 and was later acquired by Wiztown in 2020. The FIR added that Lotus Greens Construction continues to retain a stake in the property.
“The FIR has been registered against five builders, and further investigation is underway,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Hemant Upadhyay.
Earlier, on January 18, police had registered the first FIR based on a complaint filed by the father of the deceased, Yuvraj Mehta, against MZ Wiztown Planners and Lotus Greens, invoking provisions related to negligence, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and endangering life. On Tuesday, police arrested Abhay Kumar, director of MZ Wiztown Planners. He was remanded to judicial custody on Wednesday, officials said.