Second FIR filed against builders over waterlogged pit linked to Noida death

Authorities have registered a second first information report against five builders in connection with a large, water-filled pit in Noida’s Sector 150 that is linked to the death of a software engineer, officials said on Thursday.

The latest case has been filed against representatives of Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd and MZ Wiztown Planners Pvt Ltd for alleged breaches of environmental and pollution control laws. The development comes as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Uttar Pradesh government continued its inquiry for a third consecutive day.

Officials familiar with the probe said the three-member SIT has sought detailed information from multiple wings of the Noida Authority, including the civil, projects and traffic departments, focusing on construction activity in Sector 150 and the area surrounding the site of the fatal incident.

The SIT, headed by Additional Director General of Police (Meerut Zone) Bhanu Bhaskar, is required to submit its report to the state government by Saturday.

According to the FIR registered at Knowledge Park police station on Wednesday, the accused — Abhay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Manish Kumar, Anchal Bohra and Nirmal Kumar — have been booked under provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

In his complaint, sub-inspector Regal Kumar said that during routine patrolling on 20 January, police discovered a “very large and wide” pit at plot number SC-02/A3 in Sector 150, close to a public road. The pit appeared to have been dug using heavy machinery and had remained waterlogged for several years.

The FIR stated that the pit was extremely deep and that prolonged stagnation of water had resulted in severe pollution, with muddy water emitting a foul smell. It added that rainwater had carried garbage into the pit, worsening air pollution and posing risks to public health.

Police also noted the absence of fencing, warning signs or any safety barriers around the pit, describing it as a serious hazard to passers-by and a major public nuisance. Leaving such an open and water-filled excavation near a public road for a prolonged period significantly increased the risk of accidents, the FIR said.

The complaint further pointed to possible violations of construction management norms, noting that active construction sites were located in close proximity to the pit. Local residents have reportedly complained that the stench from the stagnant water makes it difficult to breathe when winds blow towards nearby homes.

Investigators found that the plot was originally purchased from the Noida Authority in 2014 by Lotus Greens Construction Pvt Ltd and was later acquired by Wiztown in 2020, though Lotus Greens is said to retain a stake in the property.

“The FIR has been registered against five builders and further investigation is under way,” said Hemant Upadhyay, Assistant Commissioner of Police for Greater Noida.

The second FIR follows an earlier case registered on January 18 based on a complaint filed by the father of the deceased, software engineer Yuvraj Mehta. That case invoked charges related to negligence, culpable homicide not amounting to murder and endangering life against MZ Wiztown Planners and Lotus Greens.

On Tuesday, police arrested Abhay Kumar, a director of MZ Wiztown Planners. He was remanded to judicial custody on Wednesday, officials said.

With PTI inputs