A 26-year-old delivery executive, a key eyewitness to techie Yuvraj Mehta’s death apart from his father, has alleged that police pressured him to stay away from the media for 10 days.
“I was called to the police station and forcefully made to record another video after being given a script,” Moninder Singh told HT on Tuesday. “I was also made to sit in a park near the police station for more than four-and-a-half hours,” he added.
Twenty-seven-year-old software engineer Yuvraj Mehta drowned after his car plunged into a rainwater-filled excavation pit on a vacant plot in Sector 150 of Greater Noida, triggering widespread outrage over civic lapses and delays in rescue efforts. The pit, allegedly dug for a building basement, was estimated to be over 20 feet deep, with some assessments placing it close to 50 feet. It reportedly had no barricades, warning signs, or reflective markers.
Singh, whose short video showing an alleged rescue failure went viral, said police asked him to stay out of public view for five to ten days. “I was told senior officers wanted to speak to me. When I reached the station, three to four officers took me to a nearby park and scolded me for speaking to the media,” he said.
He further alleged that officers instructed him to issue statements in favour of the police, claiming that rescue efforts were carried out thoroughly. “They verbally gave me a script and recorded a video. I was scared and agreed initially, but I decided to stand by the truth. I am the only eyewitness and my family and locals are supporting me,” Singh said.
According to Singh, police also told him the case would fade from media attention within days. Singh, a resident of Sector 150, said he was on a delivery around 1.50 am on Saturday when he saw police at the site. He claimed Mehta had drowned about five minutes before he arrived.
Singh said he jumped into the water wearing a life jacket and searched for nearly 30 minutes but was unable to locate Mehta.
A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “The police did not threaten him. However, if such allegations have been made, they will be examined and verified.” (Agencies)
