- 4 hours ago
The top focus of this episode of 5 Live is on the tragic death of 27-year-old techie Yuvraj Mehta, who drowned after his car plunged into an open, water-filled pit in Noida's Sector 150 on the night of January 16.
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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
03:55who are our clients first?
03:59look first first, we are talking one of the SIT team and there is the SIT head that is sitting in the within the SIT
04:08who is sitting there and everyone is questioning
04:11there is Noida authority, there is the fire department, there is police, the SDRF team, there is the NDRF team
04:17There is a team of SDRF, there is a team of NDRF.
04:20All these people's top workers are in their statements, including NOIDA Police Commissioner.
04:27A few days ago, NOIDA's DM, which is under disaster management,
04:33was here with NOIDA authority of SIT.
04:35And after a few days later, they went back.
04:38The NOIDA authority...
04:40He was summoned?
04:42No, he was called for asking.
04:44The team of SIT is calling everyone to ask.
04:47You keep yourself, keep yourself, keep yourself, keep yourself.
04:51So all these things are going on.
04:54The police, an absconding builder,
04:58NBW has issued a port from NIRBAL.
05:01He's absconding.
05:02After SIT, the investigation of SIT,
05:07the whole report will be kept in front of Uttar Pradesh.
05:13But in the people's lives,
05:16I think, if you know that in any district,
05:19in any district, in any district,
05:20if there is no good job,
05:21then the commander of the police,
05:23the commander of the police,
05:28who will have the command of Lakshmi Singh,
05:31who will take good work.
05:32So what is the bad work?
05:33Will the top commander that will take good work?
05:35For example,
05:36if we will take action against Lakshmi Singh,
05:38or if we will take action against the DM,
05:40or if we will take action against the fire chief,
05:42which will take action against the fire chief?
05:43This is the biggest problem.
05:45Or the small officers,
05:47who will take action against them,
05:49foreign
05:56foreign
06:03foreign
06:10foreign
06:13foreign
06:16is the most important thing is that SIT has asked the question from the DM and the NODA
06:24CP and the report will be submitted to the UPCM.
06:29But Arvind, the most important thing is that who is doing this SIT?
06:34Because these are the department who are investigating the other department.
06:39At the end of the day, if they get out of the discussion,
06:44they are responsible for the UPCM.
06:49So, who is part of SIT?
06:52Look, when the incident happened,
06:57India Today has raised this story,
07:01and we have done it on NODA 40,
07:04there was an action from the UPCM.
07:07They removed NODA's CEO,
07:10which is a big action,
07:11and there was no hope for anyone.
07:14Now, the DM is coming,
07:16which is the DM,
07:17whether they will be action or not,
07:20whether the NODA's police commissioner will be action or not.
07:24The SIT who is leading the ADG,
07:27who is the ADG,
07:29they are leading the ADG,
07:30they are leading the ADG,
07:32and the ADG,
07:36who is the ADG.
07:37So,
07:39the ADG,
07:41this is the ADG.
07:42a truck accident. What did you do with that? Five years ago you got to leave the water.
07:49The builder gives you the node authority and the prashasana that there is a water that
07:54is collected. So in five years there is no water. It is not water. It is not water.
08:00It is not water. It is not water. There is no water. It is a plot in which water is collected.
08:05So for five years if there is no water, the node authority, whose budget is more than 14,000
08:12crores. The disaster management of the disaster management is due to the DM.
08:18If there was a accident in the Uvaraj, there was a accident.
08:23The DM had to go to the same place. So the investigation was done by the team.
08:29The statement was done by the next report.
08:32If there is a report, it will go to the CM.
08:35Let's hope that it will become a non-biased, unbiased report.
08:41And some conclusions will be released. Thank you Arvind.
08:45Piyush Mishra is also with us. My colleague Piyush is joined by locals in the area as well.
08:51Piyush the question is very simple. The question is not about just this incident which hopefully
08:57will be addressed by the SIT. But 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
09:06and corner in Noida. You travel anywhere even five minutes away from where the film city is,
09:11you will find such corners, right? So what are they doing at a systemic level to fix this issue?
09:16Absolutely. And what is the demand of the locals there?
09:19Well, 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
09:31you 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.
09:40And 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.
09:52They are very anguished with the fact that despite authorities knowing that, you know,
09:57that, 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.
10:05And you were also telling me that you have been reaching out to various authorities.
10:08What has been their response?
10:10Their response is nothing. They have a usual answer.
10:13Yeah, 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.
10:22You know, there is no value for a human life, you know, in front of them.
10:27And 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,
10:34the social media channels that we used, you know, different handles, you know, to convey our messages
10:39that 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,
10:46you know, when there is no visibility, zero visibility, you know.
10:50You can just imagine, you know, if you are standing in front of me,
10:53I 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.
11:00It is really, really shameful, I would say.
11:03They are saying Noida sector 150 is the posh sector.
11:07I don't know what is the definition of posh here, you know.
11:10We have spent a lot of money out here in buying our property or buying our flats.
11:15The authorities are fooling us, the developers are fooling us.
11:18They 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.
11:26You also live in sector 150.
11:28You have also been reaching out to authorities.
11:30Do you think that Yuvraj could have been saved?
11:33Yes, he could have been saved. Why not?
11:36See, you could have seen that he had fallen to the ditch and he was so courageous.
11:43He came out of the car and he was at the rooftop.
11:45He did his best. He used his mind. He used his education.
11:49He used everything. And he was on top of the car.
11:52And with his mobile, he was guiding people, asking people, begging them to help me.
11:58Help me. Help me. And save me. But nothing could be done.
12:03Because of this, our government, present government running in the now.
12:07And 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.
12:17If they had no boat, they could have made a human chain.
12:20They could have used ropes. But they could have saved the life.
12:23But what is this? You are getting your money. You are getting a job.
12:27You are getting tankha. You are getting paid.
12:30So 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.
12:38Then 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.
12:47Who is paying all the dues on time. Who has been squeezed.
12:51Morally, socially, economically. Then he had to die.
12:57So you are getting emotional memories.
12:59He had to die. He was made to sacrifice.
13:02He has sacrificed his life for us.
13:06Maybe we will die. We will die. That's the thing.
13:11You are also as young as...
13:13The reality really cutting across over there.
13:15Piyush, 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 will keep a hawk's eye on that.
13:28Don't worry. In the days to come as well.
13:30Moving on to the other big story that we have 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.
14:00Toxic air is threatening India's ambition to become a global sporting powerhouse.
14:06How?
14:07Because think about that.
14:08India wants the 2036 Olympics, the biggest sporting event on earth, to happen here.
14:17Ahmedabad is the front runner.
14:20The 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.
14:32Here's the proof.
14:34At the India Open in Delhi, world number three, Anders Andersson refused to play.
14:40Reason?
14:41Pollution.
14:42Singapore'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.
15:06During 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,
15:24scenes that should never, never define a sporting nation.
15:29So today, as India dreams of hosting the Olympics, one question must be asked.
15:35Can 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. I 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.
16:25The 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
16:34that 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 quite recently.
16:53I'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.
17:56One, not getting top-level events.
17:58And two, not being able to produce top-level athletes.
18:01How do you expect a kid to be playing, 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. Why?
18:15Four months you've got pollution, then 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,
18:28in 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, because it affects your lung capacity.
18:43It 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.
18:52Year on year, their lung capacity is being harmed.
18:55Year on year, that affects their performance.
18:57And 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,
19:30well, 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.
19:45Well, that should be in our wake-up hall 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,
19:56a 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-3 hata diya gaya hai, from severe to very poor category.
20:06And there's hope of further improvement as well,
20:08with 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 Jamun 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, Ashraf Vani.
20:43He joins us from Jammu and Kashmir.
20:46Alright, before we actually go to my colleagues, let's quickly give you a round-up of what these places are looking like.
20:54Then we'll dip in.
20:55Winter tightened its grip across North India once again, as fresh snowfall blanketed large parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Machal Pradesh.
21:16In Kashmir, snowfall quickly resulted in flight delays and road closures.
21:25Operations at the Srinagar Airport were hit hard as snowfall forced the cancellation of at least 26 flights.
21:33Airport authorities said snow clearance operations were underway on the runway, but airlines cautioned passengers to brace for delays and extended wait times as conditions continued to pose challenges.
21:48The mercury dipped and roads turned treacherous across the valley.
21:52Higher reaches bore the brunt of the snowfall, prompting the closure of several key mountain roads.
21:58Authorities have ordered the closure of schools in several areas of Kashmir as a precautionary measure, citing safety concerns amid freezing temperatures and slippery roads.
22:13The winter's spell, however, was not without its scenic movements.
22:16The winter's spell, however, was not without its scenic movements.
22:18Tourist hotspot Gulmagh recorded 20 and 24 inches of fresh snow, transformed into the snow.
22:25The winter's spell, however, was not without its scenic movements.
22:31Tourist hotspot Gulmagh recorded 20 and 24 inches of fresh snow, transforming the Meadow Resort into a pristine white expanse.
22:50Meanwhile, Shimla woke up to its first snowfall of the season.
22:55The fresh snowfall across Jambun Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh is part of a broader winter system affecting large swathes of North India.
23:10The cold intensifies officials in Jambu and Kashmir and Himachal.
23:17As cold intensifies, officials in Jammu and Kashmir are racing against time,
23:41clearing roads and restoring connectivity.
23:44Bearer Report, India Today.
24:14It's become cooler now.
24:15But for a local like you, are you having fun or are you cribbing about too much though?
24:21Actually, Sonal, the global warming impact is now visible across the globe, particularly
24:29here in the Himalayan states, including the Jammu and Kashmir.
24:33The 40-day spell of the Chilakalan is considered as the coldest season in the Kashmir, which
24:38begins 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, which was predicted by the med department since
25:02Thursday evening.
25:03And it is heaviest snowfall of the season so far in the Kashmir.
25:07We have reports from the USMARG, 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, Shopyan district.
25:18The Mughal road, which connects the Kashmir Valley with the Punch, is closed for the vehicular
25:23traffic due to heavy snowfall at least four feet at the Pirki Gully, which is one of the
25:28passes.
25:29Same is the scenario with the Kargil road that has been also closed due to heavy snowfall in
25:34Zojila as well as in the Sunmark.
25:36And also, as you mentioned in the report, in the Gulmark, that has also recorded about two
25:42feet of snow.
25:43And it is currently snowing, not only in the Srinagar, but also in the other parts of the
25:48Kashmir Valley.
25:49And Med Department has said that this heavy snowfall will bring another spell of cold
25:54wave, not only here in the Kashmir, but also its impact will be in the northern parts, including
26:00in the Delhi.
26:01So the cold is settled behind and the coming days will be colder and even the night is
26:07too much cool here in the Srinagar.
26:09The temperature is predicted for today's night is minus five, which may decline to minus seven
26:15in coming two days.
26:16All right.
26:17Already feeling it here in the national capital and not complaining about it at all.
26:21Let me also cut across to my colleague, Ankit Sharma.
26:23Ankit, long weekend a-gaya hai hai, 26th Republic Day par chutti hai sabki.
26:28Toh agar koi travel kar raha hai, hills ki taraf, toh roads ki kya halat hai, koon-koon se chal
26:37raha hai hai hai.
26:38Us ki baare mein thodi jean kari dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee dee.
26:44Well, absolutely.
26:45You can see behind me is the national highway connecting to Shimla and you can see the chaos.
26:51people are thronging to Uttarakhand and also travelling to Himachal from here in large number.
26:55And after today's sudden weather turn, it has completely set to rejoice among the people
27:05and people are overjoyed because the weather has turned late but it has come better
27:11and the temperatures have also plummeted and it has caused some joy to the farmers
27:19and as well as tourists, people are flocking to higher hill station in large number talking
27:25about the scenic destinations like Harshal, Chokta and talking about Masoori, higher areas
27:32of Nainital have completely blanketed in white and you can see that.
27:36All right, that was my colleague Ankit over there saying that there seems to be an entire
27:52widespread all across, the weather has turned, this time not at the right time perhaps but just
27:59in time for people to enjoy in case they had plans for the long weekend.
28:03Maninder Aroda, my colleague is also with us live from Manali.
28:08Maninder, tell us that there is still snow, that looks lovely behind you, tell us how
28:17snow is going there and importantly, what is the situation of highways, can people reach
28:22now?
28:23Yeah.
28:24Yeah, absolutely.
28:25Thank you very much.
28:55Thank you very much.
29:25Thank you very much.
30:25All right, understandably losing signal with our colleagues over there because of the constant snowfall.
30:31So good news if you're already there, not so good news if you're planning to go there because roads are a bit of a trouble there.
30:36So please keep a check on that before you make your plans.
30:38But let's leave you with these gorgeous, gorgeous pictures coming to us from the north of the country, all those hills and a very happy long weekend to all of you.
30:50We'll see you again on the other side.
30:53Thanks so much.
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