Noida Sector 150 Drowning Tragedy: Two Real Estate Officials Arrested, Police Hint at More Action
The Greater Noida Police on Thursday, January 22, 2026, made significant headway in the tragic case of a young software professional's drowning death by arresting two officebearers of the real estate company Lotus Greens Pvt Ltd. This development comes in connection with the untimely demise of 27-year-old Yuvraj Mehta, who lost his life in a deep, water-filled pit in Noida's Sector 150 on the early morning of January 17.
Escalating Legal Action and Arrests
With these latest apprehensions, the total number of individuals arrested in this case has now risen to three. Earlier, on Tuesday, Abhay Kumar, the director of another realty firm, MZ Wiztown Planners, was taken into custody. A local court subsequently sent him to judicial custody on Wednesday. The two individuals arrested on Thursday have been identified as Ravi Bansal, a resident of Faridabad, Haryana, and Sachin Karanwal, who hails from Shalimar Garden in Ghaziabad.
"Bansal and Karanwal are office bearers at Lotus Greens Pvt Ltd, and they also have a connection with the plot [in which the tragedy happened]," revealed a senior police officer involved in the investigation. The officer further emphasized that "four dedicated police teams are actively working to apprehend the remaining suspects named in the case, and more arrests may follow soon."
Details of the Fatal Incident and Allegations
The unfortunate incident occurred when Yuvraj Mehta, a resident of the Tata Eureka housing society in Sector 150, was returning home from Gurgaon. In dense fog conditions, and less than a kilometer from his residence, his car reportedly drove over a broken boundary wall of an empty plot and plunged into a large, deep swamp. This hazardous pit had been created over the years due to the accumulation of water in an excavated area.
According to investigators and eyewitness accounts, a harrowing sequence of events unfolded. Yuvraj managed to climb onto the roof of his partially submerged car and desperately called for help for approximately two hours before ultimately succumbing to drowning. The police have squarely accused officials of the company in possession of the plot of gross negligence, which they allege directly led to this preventable death.
Expanding Legal Framework and FIRs
The legal net around this case is widening. On Wednesday, police had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against five officials of Lotus Greens. While none from that initial list have been arrested yet, the charges are severe. Furthermore, in a separate but related move on Thursday, police filed an additional FIR. This new case invokes:
- Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- Sections 24 and 43 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
- Sections 290, 270, and 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS)
These charges have been levied against the five allottees of the contentious plot, including MZ Wiztown promoter Abhay Kumar. This legal action underscores the environmental and public safety violations allegedly associated with the site.
Background of the Plot and Conflicting Claims
The land in question has a complex history. It was originally allotted to Lotus Greens in 2014 for a massive Sports City project valued at over Rs 2,300 crore. This land was later subdivided into 24 plots. The specific, now water-filled plot where the tragedy occurred was transferred to Wiztown.
The FIR, registered based on a complaint by Investigating Officer Regal Kumar, provides a chilling description: "I found that near the public road, a very long and wide pit has been dug, which appears to have been excavated using large heavy machines. This pit has been filled with water for several years, and its depth is also very huge."
Earlier, on Monday, police had already filed a case under sections dealing with culpable homicide, causing death by negligence, and acts endangering life against both MZ Wiztown and Lotus Greens.
Company Responses and Denials
In the wake of these arrests and charges, the involved companies have presented contrasting narratives. Lotus Greens issued a statement condemning the incident but firmly denied responsibility. The company asserted that the plot had been legally transferred with the requisite approval of the Noida Authority.
Conversely, the promoter of Wiztown has claimed that his company received the land "in an excavated condition" and stated that they were never granted permission to commence any project on that site, shifting the onus of the dangerous state of the plot.
As the investigation intensifies, the focus remains on establishing accountability for the systemic failures and alleged negligence that culminated in the loss of a young life. The Greater Noida Police's proactive stance suggests that this case will see further legal developments and possibly more arrests in the coming days.
