‘Brain Congested, Lungs Full Of Water, Nose Blocked…’: Noida Techie’s Autopsy Reveals He Died Of Asphyxiation

New Delhi: The autopsy report of 27-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta, who lost his life after his car plunged into a deep water-filled pit in sector 150 of Greater Noida, confirmed that the techie died due asphyxiation. The report also mentioned that Yuvraj lost his life owing to heart failure.

The medical examination also revealed approximately one to two litres of fluid surrounding the chest and ribs of the victim. Furthermore, both lungs of Yuvraj were fully congested with water, and the nasal passages were completely obstructed by a mixture of mud and liquid.

Additionally, the brain of the techie as per the autopsy showed signs of congestion, while the stomach contained 200 ml of fluid. The heart's chambers were also notably distended with blood.

The shocking details of the autopsy report surfaced amid allegations of negligence from authorities by the deceased’s family members citing delayed rescue efforts and administrative lapses at the accident site.

The cops had had earlier stated that Yuvraj's body was sent for post-mortem examination after being recovered following a multi-hour search operation.

Junior Engineer Sacked

Following public outrage and protests by residents, a junior engineer within the Noida Traffic Cell- Naveen Kumar- was sacked by the Noida authority with immediate effect earlier today. 

In tandem with these personnel changes, show-cause notices have been issued to the concerned officers and employees responsible for traffic-related work in sector-150 after techie's tragic death.

What was the incident?

The development comes in after the tragic incident involving the 27-year-old techie occurred around in the early hours of January 17 when he was just 500 metres away from his residence in Greater Noida sector 150.

The victim was negotiating a sharp turn near ATS Le Grandiose however, amid the thick fog and poor lighting, his Grand Vitara crashed past the damaged wall and fell into the pit, which had around 30 feet of water.

Mehta, who did not know how to swim, managed to get out of the vehicle and climbed atop to scream for help. He even flashed his phone's torch in order to be rescued, however all in vain.

The victim dialed his father Raj Mehta and apprised him about the case following which he immediately rushed to the spot. Amid the fog, those at the edge of the pit could hear Mehta's cries but struggled to locate him.

What obstructed the rescue?

A senior official involved in the rescue stated that fog obstructed their rescue mission and all they could "not see even 10 metres."

Mehta's cries fell silent by around 1.45am - an hour and and half after he fell into the pit. By the time his body was recovered, it was 4.30 am.

The rescue mission faced severe obstacles due to nighttime darkness, thick fog, and nearly nonexistent visibility.

Furthermore, citing the freezing water temperatures and the danger of submerged construction pillars, police and fire crews did not immediately enter the water. Tragically, by 1:45 am, both Yuvraj and the vehicle had vanished beneath the surface.

Reports stated steamer and torches were used to retrieve him during the operation and upon being traced, he was rushed to Kailash Hospital in Knowledge Park for treatment, however, he was declared dead by the doctors.

Case of culpable homicide

The victim’s father, Raj Kumar Mehta, has made allegations of negligence against the administration. 

Speaking to Republic TV, he said, "I reached the exact spot, but it took me at least 40 minutes to get there. I told him I am trying to find a way to rescue him. I called the police, who took about another 20 minutes. Police personnel called the fire brigade team. But none of the teams had any meaningful support system to help the victim. They had no diver, swimmer or boat to assist them in the rescue operation."

What the FIR said

A case of culpable homicide has been lodged against two real estate companies after the victim's father Rajkumar Mehta lodged a complaint with Knowlege Park police after his son's death.

As per the Assistant commissioner of police Hemant Upadhyay, a case at Knowledge Park police station under sections 105 (culpable homicide), 106 (causing death by negligence) and 125 (act endangering life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was lodged against MZ Wishtown Planners Pvt Ltd and Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd.

As per the FIR, "there was no barricading reflector around the plot, which caused the incident. There was serious negligence on the part of the builders".

Delivery boy jumped for help

Moninder, an online delivery worker who was passing by and jumped into the freezing water around 1.45am after hearing Mehta's cries, accused the administration of a delayed response. "Yuvraj kept pleading for help. The administration is esponsible for his death," he alleged, adding that he spent nearly 30 minutes in the water searching but could not locate him.

As per the residents, the pit had been excavated nearly two years ago for a mall project and left uncovered, with sewage discharged from nearby societies accumulating there because of restrictions on releasing water into the Hindon.

Who was Yuvraj Mehta?

Yuvraj was a resident of the Tata Eureka Park Society in Sector-150 and worked as a software engineer at Dunnhumby India in Gurugram. Mehta primarily worked from home, visiting the Sector-54 office only on occasion.

On the day of the incident, the victim was driving his car back from the Gurugram office when thick fog obscured his view, thereby leading to his death.

Also Read: ‘Selfish Woman, Bad Soul’: Mulayam's Son, Prateek Yadav, Announces Separation from Wife, Accuses Her of ‘Ruining Family Ties’