- 5 hours ago
On this Special Report, Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor examines the tragic death of 27-year-old techie Yuvraj, who drowned after his car plunged into an open, water-filled pit in Noida's Sector 115. Kapoor highlights the systemic failure, stating, 'Time to hold the system accountable,' as India Today accesses exclusive details from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. The report reveals that five departments of the Noida Authority are under the scanner, with officials from the SDRF, fire department, and police being questioned regarding response times and lack of precautions. The program also features insights from Arvind Ojha on the SIT's progress and Piyush Mishra's interaction with anguished locals who describe the pit as a hazardous sewage dump. Additionally, the broadcast addresses how severe air pollution is threatening India's global sporting ambitions and provides a winter update on heavy snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand ahead of the Republic Day long weekend.
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00:00he cried for help but rescuers froze
00:09you've Raj was murdered now he deserves justice
00:24time to hold the system accountable
00:26India today accesses explosive SIT probe details
00:37who failed you Raj and who will pay
00:46hello and welcome I'm Sonal Merotra Kapoor this is five live we keep our focus on
00:56what happened with the young techie in Noida it's been nearly a week that the
01:0227 year old you've Raj and in his car plunged into an open waterfall pit in
01:07sector 115 Noida for nearly two hours the techie cried for help but atop his
01:12vehicle switched on his mobile phone flashed his light that's the last
01:15visual that we have of him desperately hoping that somebody will just go
01:19through just follow that marker barely few meters and go and rescue him nothing
01:24happened but within minutes of his father calling cops office fire officials as
01:29well everybody arrived nobody could help at all now that tragic ordeal shook the
01:35conscience of the nation sparked calls for justice and debate as well heads began
01:41rolling hours after you Raj was effectively what we called here on the
01:45program murdered by the system the CEO of Noida authority was removed the junior
01:51engineer was sacked the builder was arrested and SIT was formed it was long
01:56overdue action against criminality or also criminally negligent system was to be
02:01done but is this enough clearly not the SIT now has to submit its report in five
02:08days today is day four tomorrow that report will be submitted to the government
02:13and then we'll see how exactly are they looking at this particular incident which is failure at
02:21different steps right from how the road was turned to how the response that came in as well but here at
02:30India today we have accessed exclusive inside details of that investigation how exactly is the
02:36UPS IT thinking on this matter so on sources are telling us at this point that five
02:42departments of Noida authority are under the scanner the SIT is questioning officials from SDRF
02:49from fire department from police personnel who were all present at the scene
02:57India today has also accessed that SIT's line of questioning sources say authorities will be asked to
03:04explain the level of coordination between different agencies and officials at the site of the tragedy
03:11further we are told the probe team will also question or perhaps has already about the response time what
03:18rescue measures were taken and what precautions were taken at the site following a similar incident
03:24involving a truck just 15 days ago so all those are the details that we are gathering at the moment
03:34Arvind Oja my colleague has got us all those details has been tracking all the aspects of that story
03:40especially when it comes to how Noida police is thinking how SIT is going about their investigation
03:46Arvind, let us tell you that there are five agencies that have seen the role of this SIT
03:55team in which tem ├Цda authorities are still standing under the SIT head and its questioning economy
04:08in those states is doing all those questions in which we have Noida authority there is all the
04:14Fire Department there there is police there, SDRF, there also NDRF there all the first
04:20All the top workers in their statements, including NOIDA, the police commissioner,
04:26a few days ago, the DM, which is under disaster management,
04:32came in front of the NOIDA authority of SIT, and a few days later, they went back.
04:37The NOIDA authority...
04:39He was summoned?
04:41No, he was called for the interrogation.
04:44SIT's team calls everyone to ask for the interrogation.
04:47You have to keep your control, keep your control, keep your control, keep your control.
04:51These are all the things that are going under these things.
04:54The police, one absconding builder,
04:57NBW has issued a report from NIRBAL.
05:00They are absconding.
05:02SIT is going to talk about this.
05:04The investigation of SIT, the whole report,
05:08will be kept in front of Uttar Pradesh's chief minister,
05:10Yogi Adir Tinas.
05:13But in the context of the police,
05:16you will know that in any district,
05:19if there is no good work in any district,
05:21then the captain or commander of the police,
05:26like Lakshmi Singh,
05:28will take his good work.
05:30So the bad work was done,
05:32does the top commander take his bad work?
05:34Especially on the overt╨╛╨║ bears,
05:36whether there is a police report for Ehsr,
05:37or not Zomba Singh,
05:38on the FBI,
05:39and to people on St St...
05:40These young officials are paid for it.
05:42This is the biggest issue.
05:43The little small officers,
05:45in on─▒ndaki Cavalry,
05:47and such officers will even lose,
05:49is things rather huge.
05:51foreign
06:05foreign
06:19This is a big question. SIT has asked for DM, NOIDA CP, and the report will be submitted to UPCM.
06:29But, Arvind, the most important thing is that who is being overlooked SIT, because they are the department who are investigating the other department.
06:39At the end of the day, if they are coming out of this issue, they are responsible for the UPCM,
06:48so who is the part of SIT?
06:52Look, when the incident happened, India has raised this story.
07:01We have done it on NOIDA 40, so there was an action.
07:05The UPCM has removed NOIDA's CEO, which is a big action, that it has no hope to anyone.
07:13Now, the DM is talking about whether the DM will be action or not.
07:19Whether the NOIDA's police commissioner will be action or not.
07:23The SIT is leading the ADG, which is the ADG,
07:29is the ADG.
07:30It is the ADG, which is important to us.
07:32It is the ADG.
07:33This is why the NOIDA authority has left.
07:36Nowadays, the NOIDA authority also talked to you.
07:38The ADG officer told you that,
07:40when the other 30 December, a truck accident happens,
07:44what happened to you,
07:45after that, you have received an accident.
07:47You have received an accident.
07:49You have received an accident.
07:51the authority and the prasasana that there is water is filled with water.
07:56So, what does the water do not go from the 5 years?
07:58It is not the water, the water is not the water, the water is not the water.
08:01There is no water, there is no water.
08:03There is a plot in which the water is filled with water.
08:05So for 5 years, if the water cannot go from the water, the authority's budget is more than
08:1214,000 crores.
08:14The disaster management of disaster management is the one of the DMs.
08:18If Yubaraj has fallen there, accident has fallen there, then the DMs should have had a chance.
08:26So, this investigation is the team of SIT team, the statement has been recorded and the report will be sent to the CMs.
08:34Let's hope that a non-biased, unbiased report will be released and some conclusions will be released.
08:43Thank you, Arvind, to give us all the information.
08:46Piyush Mishra is also with us, my colleague Piyush is joined by locals in the area as well.
08:51Piyush, the question is very simple.
08:53The question is not about just this incident which hopefully will be addressed by the SIT,
08:58but how to avoid further instances like these.
09:01We have done our own reality check to understand that death traps like these are at every nook and corner in Noida.
09:07You travel anywhere, even five minutes away from where the film city is, you'll find such corners, right?
09:12So, what are they doing at a systemic level to fix this issue and what is the demand of the locals there?
09:20Well, that's right, Sonal, and that's the point which the locals are also raising.
09:27They are very anguished and we were also hearing to our colleague Arvind Hoja who was pointing that, you know, this pit had, you know, rainwater, but it's not rainwater.
09:36The locals here, those are with us, they are telling us that it's a sewage water and this is more shocking that untreated sewage water is being, you know, discharged here in this pit.
09:48And I would directly like to take a comment from the locals here and they are very angry, they are very anguished with the fact that despite authorities knowing that, you know, this entire area is not covered, they did not take any action, ma'am.
10:01You were telling us that this entire pit is sewage water. It's more shocking and you were also telling me that you have been reaching out to various authorities. What has been their response?
10:10Their response is nothing. They have a usual answer. Yeah, we will look into it. Yes, we are watching it. We are seeing it.
10:17They are just waiting and watching for such incident to happen, you know, you know, there is no value for a human life, you know, in front of them. And that is the reason, you know, this thing had happened.
10:29I have shown you, you know, the letters, the correspondence, the requests that we have raised, the social media channels that we used, you know, different handles, you know, to convey our messages that there should be a proper lighting out here.
10:41There should be blinkers out here, you know, especially if you come during the month of December and January, you know, when there is no visibility, zero visibility, you know, you can just imagine, you know, if you are standing in front of me, I won't be able to see you that, okay, someone is standing in front of me.
10:56Imagine what would have happened, you know, to that poor guy, you know, that night. It is really, really shameful, I would say. They are saying NOIDA sector 150 is the posh sector. I don't know what is the definition of posh here, you know.
11:09We have spent a lot of money out here in buying our property or buying our flats. The authority is fooling us, the developers are fooling us. They are big time chores, I would say. That is the right word to use for them.
11:22That shows the kind of anger is there among the residents. You also live in sector 150. You have also been reaching out to authorities. Do you think that Yuvraj could have been saved?
11:33Yes, he could have been saved. Why not? See, you could have seen that he had fallen to the ditch and he was so courageous. He came out of the car and he was at the rooftop. He did his best.
11:47He used his mind. He used his education. He used everything and he was on top of the car and with his mobile, he was guiding people, asking people, begging them to help me, help me and save me.
12:01But nothing could be done because of this, our government, present government running in the now and because of this NOIDA authority, disaster management people who could not do anything.
12:14They could have done anything. They could have used their common brain. If they had no boat, they could have moved human chain. They could have used ropes, but they could have saved the life.
12:23But what is this? You are getting your money, you are getting job, you are getting tankha, you are getting paid. So you don't want to save a poor man's child.
12:33If it would have been a minister's child, it would have been a politician's child, then you would have seen even a helicopter would have come within no time.
12:42Because this is a poor man's child, common man's child, who is a taxpayer, who is paying all the dues on time, who has been squeezed morally, socially, economically, then he had to die.
12:57So you are getting emotional memories?
12:59He had to die. He was made to sacrifice. He has sacrificed his life for us.
13:06The reality really cutting across over there, Piyush. Thanks so much for bringing us that entire reality over there.
13:19And I think what that lady said actually echoes everybody's sentiment over there.
13:25But let's move on from the story for now. We'll keep a hawk's eye on that. Don't worry. In the days to come as well.
13:31Moving on to the other big story that we've been tracking here, which is pollution.
13:34On this show, we have flagged the pollution crisis again and again.
13:38The air emergency choking North India and several other parts of the country isn't just a health hazard anymore.
13:43It's a national liability.
13:46Just yesterday, we showed you how global voices warned that pollution is hurting India more than tariffs.
13:52Bleeding the economy and damaging credibility, ease of doing business, all of that.
13:56Tonight, we expose another cost.
13:59Toxic air is threatening India's ambition to become a global sporting powerhouse.
14:05How? Because think about that.
14:08India wants the 2036 Olympics, the biggest sporting event on earth, to happen here.
14:17Ahmedabad is the front runner.
14:19The bid gained momentum after India secured the 2030 Commonwealth Games as well.
14:25But amongst all the challenges tearing this dream in the face, pollution tops the chart.
14:33Here's the proof.
14:34At the India Open in Delhi, world number three, Anders Anderson refused to play.
14:40Reason? Pollution.
14:41Singapore's law keen also competed but publicly slammed Delhi's air quality.
14:50Two of the world's best badminton players, both sounding the same alarm.
14:55The rot isn't limited to international sport.
14:57In 2025, India's under-23 knockout matches were shifted from Delhi to Mumbai.
15:03Again, severe air pollution.
15:05During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh skipped practice sessions.
15:12Pollution again.
15:14And the most damning image came in 2017.
15:18Sri Lankan cricketers in Delhi struggling to breathe, players vomiting, masks on the field.
15:23Scenes that should never, never define a sporting nation.
15:29So today, as India dreams of hosting the Olympics, one question must be asked.
15:34Can a country that can't guarantee clean air really host the world's biggest sporting event?
15:42Are we ready?
15:43What about our own athletes?
15:46How are they even practicing in this air?
15:49Nikhil Lars, my colleague, joins us for more on this.
15:52Nikhil, we've been sort of, you know, debating this for a while.
15:55That how does India even put its bid forward?
15:58What exactly will happen?
16:00We remember what happened in the last Commonwealth.
16:02In that time, the challenge was a little different.
16:05This time, all eyes on not just conditions inside the stadium, but the air outside.
16:12Well, that's right, Sonal.
16:13I don't know where to start.
16:15Because this is a damning indictment of, you know, the state of affairs here in India.
16:20And it hurts India on multiple fronts.
16:22You talk about organizing the Olympic Games.
16:24The latest we are hearing is that not just those athletes that you've just mentioned in your report,
16:29but a host of other athletes have written to the Athletics Commission that is part of the International Olympic Committee,
16:37complaining about playing high-level or top-level international tournaments in India because of air pollution.
16:44I know, you know, people will talk about that maybe this was restricted to Delhi, but that's not quite the case.
16:50We've seen it in other venues as well.
16:52Quite recently, I've given that example earlier as well, where we saw Hardik Pandya wear a mask ahead of a game.
16:59You had other teams complaining.
17:01So, the issue just doesn't pertain to Delhi per se.
17:04It's the entire northern belt.
17:06And I think, you know, for a country that's so sensitive about its own image,
17:10if you have a bunch of top-level athletes writing to the International Olympic Committee
17:15that India is not suitable to be playing because of pollution,
17:18I think this is something that the government needs to wake up to.
17:20But, unfortunately, you showed those images, and that are also fresh in my mind.
17:25Way back in 2017, you had a scenario where the Sri Lankan players were vomiting,
17:29complaining of their eyes itching, and you had to cancel a game in the national capital.
17:35I would have assumed that nine years would have been enough time to try and fix that situation.
17:40But, unfortunately, nothing really has happened on that front.
17:43I take you China was on a similar level.
17:45Remember, China is a sporting powerhouse, not only in terms of the medals that they win,
17:49but also in terms of hosting top-level international events.
17:53As I said, this is going to hurt India on two counts.
17:55One, not getting top-level events.
17:58And two, not being able to produce top-level athletes.
18:01How do you expect a kid who's staying in north of India to be playing a sport?
18:06Because you need to get, what, 10,000 hours minimum for a kid to go on to become a professional sportsperson.
18:12Six months of a year, you cannot be playing sport in India.
18:15Why?
18:15Four months, you've got pollution.
18:17Then two, three months of extreme heat conditions where you cannot be practicing.
18:21So, how do you produce the next-level athlete?
18:23I must tell you that the north belt usually is the strongest when it comes to producing it in terms of per capita, producing your top athletes.
18:31But I tell you what, they are produced despite the system.
18:34Next time an Indian athlete misses out on a medal, blame it on pollution, not on anything else.
18:40I tell you why.
18:41Because it affects your lung capacity.
18:44It affects those marginal differences that you see between winning a medal and losing out.
18:48Because even athletes that made it to the top level have to practice in these conditions.
18:53Year on year, their lung capacity is being harmed.
18:55Year on year, that affects their performance.
18:58And that is why you will fall short of winning medals.
19:00So, as I said, not being able to organize an event is a big problem.
19:04Not being able to produce the next level of athletes is problem number two.
19:09And thirdly, even the athletes that you produce participating at the top level will not be able to give their best
19:14and will always start at a disadvantage compared to everyone else.
19:18This is a national emergency that needs to be addressed.
19:23Well, Nikhil has said it, all of it, right?
19:27If you think, if you still think that pollution is not an issue, well, first, I don't know what to do about you.
19:33But it's going to cost us in our annual GDP.
19:36It's going to cost us business from abroad.
19:38It's going to impact economy and ease of doing business.
19:41It's also going to cost us our sporting dreams.
19:44Well, that should be in our wake-up call for the government.
19:48We'll see how that goes for the moment.
19:49Thanks, Nikhil, for joining.
19:50Now, winter may have arrived late, but it is now firmly gripped North India.
19:54In the national capital and its adjoining regions, a spell of rain has finally brought the much-needed relief and cheer from the toxic air.
20:01The AQI in Delhi NCR has improved.
20:03Grab three, Hata diya gaya hai, from severe to very poor category.
20:06And there's hope of further improvement as well, with more showers forecasted tomorrow over this long weekend, which is approaching as well.
20:13Now, away from the capital, large parts of North India are witnessing intense winter conditions.
20:18Just look at those gorgeous shots.
20:21From Jammu and Kashmir to Himachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand, heavy snowfall has transformed hill towns into postcard-perfect landscapes,
20:29drawing tourists and setting the stage for a very busy, long weekend.
20:34So we thought, if you, like me, are working, cannot go, let's give you a little glimpse of what those places look like.
20:40Joining me is my colleague, Ashtar Vani.
20:43He joins us from Jammu and Kashmir.
20:48All right, before we actually go to my colleagues, let's quickly give you a roundup of what these places are looking like.
20:54Then we'll dip in.
21:05Winter tightened its grip across North India once again.
21:09As fresh snowfall blanketed large parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Machal Pradesh.
21:16In Kashmir, snowfall quickly resulted in flight delays and road closures.
21:24Operations at the Srinagar airport were hit hard as snowfall forced the cancellation of at least 26 flights.
21:31Airport authorities said snow clearance operations were underway on the runway,
21:38but airlines cautioned passengers to brace for delays and extended wait times as conditions continued to pose challenges.
21:46The mercury dipped in roads turned treacherous across the valley.
21:52Higher reaches bore the brunt of the snowfall, prompting the closure of several key mountain roads.
21:59Authorities have ordered the closure of schools in several areas of Kashmir as a precautionary measure,
22:05citing safety concerns amid freezing temperatures and slippery roads.
22:10The pirates were hit in the city of Kashmir,
22:24which is called Kachmir's school.
22:24The pirates have ordered the entire valley.
22:25The pirates have ordered the entire valley.
22:26If there is, if there is, there is no way to resist any war.
22:30When people sleep, it's so nice in the morning,
22:33when the people in the valley do not see the entire valley.
22:38The winter spell, however, was not without its scenic moments.
22:42Tourist hotspot Gulmurk recorded 20 and 24 inches of fresh snow, transforming the Meadow Resort into a pristine white expanse.
22:52Meanwhile, Shimla woke up to its first snowfall of the season.
22:58The fresh snowfall across Jemun, Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh is part of a broader winter system affecting large swaths of North India.
23:07This winter is a popular winter using her prakvirtik sondariya.
23:14Today it is a winter.
23:15And the winter was the first time of the winter,
23:20that of the winter we hosted in Himachal Pradesh,
23:24which can be used in the middle of the land of the land of the land of the island,
23:29so it is just about the middle of the land of the land of the land of the land of the land.
23:35As cold intensifies, officials in Jammu and Kashmir and Imachal are racing against time,
23:41clearing roads and restoring connectivity.
23:45Bera Report, India Today.
23:51All right, let's cut across to my colleague Ashraf Vani, joining us from Srinagar.
23:55Ashraf, here we are again.
23:56Long weekend is coming.
23:58People have made up their plans.
24:00And now we are wondering if this is the right time to go.
24:02The joke in the newsroom, however, is that today is supposed to be Basant Panchmi.
24:06This is the day where forward temperatures actually become warmer.
24:11But this time the opposite has happened.
24:13It's become cooler now.
24:15But for a local like you, are you having fun or are you cribbing about too much snow?
24:24Actually, Sonal, the global warming impact is now visible across the globe,
24:28particularly here in the Himalayan states, including the Jammu and Kashmir.
24:32The 40-day spell of the Chilakalan is considered as the coldest season in the Kashmir,
24:38which begins on 21st of December and then concludes on 31st of January.
24:43But this year we have seen most of this cold spell was dry across the Kashmir Valley.
24:48We had reports from different forest areas.
24:50There was abrupt forest fires witnessed in different localities and forest areas of Kashmir.
24:57But abruptly the weather scenario changed,
25:00which was predicted by the Med Department since Thursday evening.
25:03And it is heaviest snowfall of the season so far in the Kashmir.
25:07We have reports from the U-S-Mark, which is in the Badgam district,
25:11more than four feet snow has got accumulated there.
25:14Then also in the Kulgam district, which is in the South Kashmir,
25:17the Shopyan district, the Mughal road which connects the Kashmir Valley with the Punch
25:21is closed for the vehicular traffic due to heavy snowfall at least four feet
25:26at the Pirki Gully, which is one of the passes.
25:29Same is the scenario with the Kurgill road that has been also closed
25:32due to heavy snowfall in Zojila as well as in the Sonmark.
25:36And also, as you mentioned in the report,
25:39in the Gulmark that has also recorded about two feet of snow.
25:43And it is currently snowing, not only in the Shrinagar but also in the other parts
25:47of the Kashmir Valley.
25:49And Med Department has said that this heavy snowfall will bring another spell
25:54of cold wave, not only here in the Kashmir but also its impact will be
25:58in the northern parts, including in the Delhi.
26:01So the cold is settled behind and the coming days will be colder
26:06and even the night is too much cool here in the Shrinagar.
26:09The temperature is predicted for today's night is minus five,
26:14which may decline to minus seven in coming two days.
26:17All right, already feeling it here in the national capital
26:19and not complaining about it at all.
26:21Let me also cut across to my colleague Ankit Sharma.
26:23Ankit, it's been a long weekend, it's been released on the 26th Republic Day.
26:27It's been released on the 26th Republic Day, so if someone is traveling
26:31on the hills, then what are the conditions of roads?
26:34Which highway is closed? Which highway is closed? Which highway is going on?
26:37Give us a little knowledge about that.
26:43Well, absolutely.
26:44You can see behind me is the national highway connecting to Shimla
26:48and you can see the chaos. People are thronging to Uttarakhand
26:52and also traveling to Himachal from here in large number.
26:56And after today's sudden weather turn, it has completely set to rejoice
27:03among the people and people are overjoyed because the weather has turned late
27:10but it has come better and the temperatures have also plummeted
27:14and it has caused some joy to the farmers and as well as tourists.
27:20People are flocking to higher hill station in large number,
27:24talking about the scenic destinations like Harshal, Chokta
27:29and talking about Masoori, higher areas of Nainital
27:32have completely blanketed in white.
27:35All right, so that was my colleague Ankit over there saying that
27:50there seems to be an entire white spread all across.
27:53The weather has turned this time, not at the right time perhaps
27:58but just in time for people to enjoy in case they had plans
28:01for the long weekend. Maninder Aroda, my colleague is also with us live from Manali.
28:08Maninder, tell us that there is still snow, that looks lovely behind you.
28:16Tell us a little bit about how snow is going there and importantly
28:20what is the situation of highways, can people reach now?
28:23Maninder Aroda, my colleague is also with us live from Manali.
28:38Thank you very much.
29:08Thank you very much.
29:38Thank you very much.
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