Noida Authority CEO removed after techie Yuvraj Mehta's death – What led to IAS M Lokesh’s ouster?

Noida Authority chief executive officer (CEO) M Lokesh has been removed from his position in the aftermath of a techie's tragic death by drowning in an open ditch in the city. He had been serving as the head of Noida Authority since July 2023. His ouster comes amid public uproar over the death of Yuvraj Mehta, a 27-year-old software engineer, who died after his car plunged into a deep pit in Greater Noida's Sector 150 area.

Late on Friday night, Mehta was returning home from work when his car collided with a drainage boundary wall and fell into 70-feet-deep ditch filled with water. Mehta, who did not know swimming, managed to get out of his car, climbed atop its roof, and even called his father. After being alerted, the local police, along with teams from the fire brigade and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), arrived at the scene and launched a rescue operation, which lasted several hours. Mehta and his vehicle were pulled out of the ditch, but he was declared dead. His family and friends have alleged delay in the rescue efforts. Besides, the case has led to public anger, with residents blaming the authorities' negligence for Mehta's death. Locals have alleged that the area lacks basic safety measures, such as barricading, street lighting, covered drains, mobile connectivity, and police patrolling.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also ordered the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case. The team has been asked to submit its report to the chief minister within five days. Earlier in the day, the authorities had terminated the services of a junior engineer and issued show-cause notices to other officials responsible for traffic-related works in the area where the accident occurred. Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against two builders who own the plot, based on a complaint filed by Mehta's father.

M Lokesh, a 2005-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, had taken over as Noida Authority CEO in July 2023. He had previously served as the Kanpur divisional commissioner. The officer hails from Karnataka, and has also served as divisional commissioner of Saharanpur.