Rahul Gandhi Highlights Urban Accountability After Tragic Noida Incident
Tragic Accident Sparks Outrage
In New Delhi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has voiced his concerns regarding the urban infrastructure crisis in India following the tragic death of a software engineer in Noida. The incident occurred when Yuvraj Mehta, 27, was driving home from Gurugram and his vehicle fell into a deep pit filled with water near a construction site on January 16. Despite his desperate calls for help over two hours, he could not be rescued in time.
Gandhi took to social media to express that the issue of urban collapse is not due to a lack of resources or technology, but rather a significant absence of accountability. He emphasized that various factors, including poor infrastructure and corruption, contribute to such tragedies.
In a video shared by Gandhi, an eyewitness recounted that prompt action could have potentially saved Mehta, while his father expressed frustration over the inaction of bystanders who merely recorded the incident instead of intervening.
In response to public outrage, the Uttar Pradesh government has dismissed the CEO of the Noida Authority and initiated a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the engineer's death. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has mandated a thorough investigation to be completed within five days.
Mehta, who resided in Tata Eureka Park, was returning home late at night when the accident occurred. His body was eventually recovered after an extensive search operation involving multiple rescue teams.
The postmortem report indicated that he succumbed to asphyxia followed by cardiac arrest, with evidence suggesting he drowned. His funeral took place in Haridwar, attended by family members.
The incident has ignited accusations of negligence and inadequate safety measures, with his father lamenting that timely intervention could have saved his son. Eyewitness accounts suggest that immediate help could have made a difference, leading to protests from local residents who criticized the authorities for ignoring complaints about safety hazards in the area.