Digital Clues & Dashcams: Technical Probe Launched To Reconstruct Fatal Plunge In Noida Techie's Death Case

New Delhi: The investigation into the tragic death of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta has entered a critical phase, with Noida Police and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) pivoting toward a deep technical and forensic analysis.

Mehta drowned on the night of January 17 when he was just 500 meters away from his home after his SUV plunged into a 30-foot-deep, waterlogged pit in Sector 150.

Due to heavy fog and poor lighting, he missed a sharp turn and his Grand Vitara plunged through a broken wall into deep, water-filled pit. Unable to swim, the victim climbed onto the roof of his car, shouting for help and using his phone's flashlight to signal for rescue.

He managed to call his father, who rushed to the scene. However, despite hours of rescue operation, the techie could not be saved.

Relying on forensic data 

Following the initial outcry over rescue delays which led to the techie's death, authorities are now using digital footprints and forensic data to reconstruct the final hours of the victim and establish accountability for the hazardous site.

The SIT, led by ADG (Meerut Zone) Bhanu Bhaskar, is currently analysing primary streams of evidence where the investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from multiple locations, including a bar in Gurugram where Mehta reportedly attended an office party, and traffic cameras along the Mahamaya Flyover.

The victim’s mobile phone, which he used to call his father and share his WhatsApp live location while standing on the roof of his sinking car, is being analysed. Forensic teams are also examining the car's dashcam and a chip from the dashcam has been sent for forensic analysis.

Investigators are banking on the vehicle's onboard camera footage to piece together the final moments of the crash, providing an objective "eye-witness" account of what actually triggered the incident.

Also, a viral video of the rescue attempt to verify the timeline of the emergency response is also being scanned.

Authorities are also investigating the precise moment the victim’s phone went dead after the plunge. This forensic timeline will help determine if the device succumbed to water damage or if a total lack of signal at the bottom of the pit effectively cut off his final lifeline.

Forensic experts have measured the road width, the 90-degree turn near ATS Le Grandiose, and the structural integrity of the damaged boundary wall. This data will be used to determine if "speeding" (as initially claimed by police) or "gross negligence in site barricading" (as alleged by the family) was the primary cause.

Blow to the authority

The technical findings have already led to significant action against both developers and officials where five builders/directors from Lotus Greens and MZ Wiztown have been booked for culpable homicide and negligence. Three, including Wiztown director Abhay Kumar, are already in custody.

In a significant blow to the authority, the CEO of the Noida Authority M Lokesh was removed by the UP government following reports that the Authority had ignored warnings about the flooded pit as far back as 2015.

Legal action also intensified as a second FIR has been lodged against the builders for environmental violations, as the excavation pit had essentially turned into an unregulated, hazardous pond over several years.

What Satellite images show

Evidence from Google Earth confirms that a hazardous, stagnant water body had been forming at the site since late 2021. Satellite imagery from March 2025 reveals that while surrounding infrastructure was fully developed, the construction pit remained abandoned, filled with dark water and overgrown with vegetation.

Meanwhile, a few days before the techie's death, a truck had crashed at the same location and locals alleged negligence on the part of local authorities for failing to install barricades and warning signage.

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