'Cops did nothing': Truck driver, who survived Greater Noida accident where techie died, reveals shocking details

Days before the 27-year-old Noida techie's death, a truck driver narrowly escaped death at the same deep pit at a construction site at Noida. Talking to NDTV, Gurvinder Singh recounted the horrific event in which he could have lost his life and not just because of the smog-ridden winter night but largely due to what he described as the Noida administration's lack of responsibility.  

The authority has come under sharp criticism for poor preparedness and alleged inaction, despite an earlier accident reported at the same spot on December 31. 

Truck driver recounts tragedy 

“The drain and the ditch are barely 10 steps from the road. There is no signboard or barricade. The truck hit the drain wall and overshot. The front tyres were in the air, and the middle ones got stuck on the wall. I jumped off the truck and landed in neck-deep water,” he said. “I fell into the ditch around 12.30. Around 4 am, some local residents helped me out. Two cops came around two hours after I had fallen, but they did nothing. If the district administration wanted, an excavator could have been brought immediately,” he said. 

Gurvinder alleges inaction, puts entire blame on authority 

When asked about whether officials from the Noida Authority came for rescue, his reply was shocking. He said, “A team from the authority came around noon and asked who would pay for the damaged wall. I told them that I barely survived,” he said. 

In Gurvinder’s words, the incident was so traumatic that he has been stammering since that day along with suffering from internal injuries. Yuvraj Mehta was returning home from work when his car plunged into a deep, waterlogged construction site in Greater Noida's Sector 150. Officials launched a rescue operation but could not save Mehta, who kept pleading for help, according to eyewitnesses. The incident has triggered protests by residents, who have alleged lapses in the rescue efforts and apathy on part of the authorities. 

Voicing anger over the incident and alleged irresponsibility at the highest level, Gurvinder held the authorities responsible, saying, “This man died. Who knows how many more people would die? There is no barricade or signboard there. The administration is responsible. If the administration wanted, an excavator would have come in minutes.” 

Gurvinder, who has been driving for 20 years now, said “We get to know if the wheels have overshot the road. As soon as I realised what had happened, I pulled the handbrake. Still, the truck hit the wall.” “This is my second life. Guruji saved me.” 

Noida authority under spotlight 

Yuvraj’s death has put the Noida authority on spotlight for all wrong reasons as the entire incident exposes the incapability of the Noida administration which has been facing sharp criticism over its lack of adequate system to prevent any mishappening. The fatal incident does not only question the inaction but also leaves people wondering that despite the police and firefighting teams around the young man could not be saved.  

According to eyewitnesses, the teams were reluctant to jump into the water due to their assumptions that there might be rods underwater. The police have quashed the allegations and said that due to dense fog they could not continue their rescue efforts for Yuvraj. One of the main questions that have centered the whole tragedy is why basic safety measures, like installing barricades and reflectors, were not taken, leading to the tragedy.