The car of a 27-year-old software engineer that plunged into a water-filled construction pit in Noida has been recovered three days after the accident, raising hopes that vital clues could emerge from the vehicle to aid the ongoing investigation.

The grey Grand Vitara, driven by Yuvraj Mehta, was pulled out on Tuesday evening using a crane from a nearly 20-foot-deep pit in Sector 150. The SUV was found covered in weeds, with visible damage to its front portion.

Officials said the bonnet of the vehicle was open and crumpled, while the front appeared to have taken a direct impact. This has led investigators to believe that the car may have struck a barrier along a drain separating the road from the construction pit before falling into the water.

Visuals from the site also showed that the front windshield was shattered and the sunroof was open. According to officials, Mehta may have escaped the submerged vehicle either through the sunroof or the broken windshield.

A close friend of the deceased, Pankaj Tokas, told media that the car was equipped with a dashcam. Police are now examining whether footage from the device can provide crucial insight into the moments leading up to the crash.

The incident occurred around 12.30 am on Saturday when Mehta, who worked at a firm in Gurugram, was returning home to his apartment at Tata Eureka Park in Sector 150. Though familiar with the route, dense fog severely reduced visibility that night.

While taking a sharp turn roughly 800 metres from his residence, the SUV reportedly jumped two barriers near a drain and plunged into the pit filled with water.

After managing to get out of the vehicle, Mehta, who did not know how to swim, called his father for help. His father reached the location soon after and was later joined by teams from the police, fire brigade and the State Disaster Response Force.

However, extremely poor visibility due to thick fog hampered rescue efforts. Mehta could not be located in time and drowned nearly 90 minutes after the accident.

Police said further investigation will depend on forensic examination of the vehicle and any recoverable electronic evidence.

Tension prevailed in parts of Assam’s Kokrajhar district after a man was killed and four others were seriously injured in a mob attack triggered by suspicion of cattle theft, police said on Tuesday.

According to officials, the victims were associated with a road construction project and were returning from a site inspection in a vehicle late on Monday night.

Police said that when the vehicle reached the Gouri Nagar–Mashing Road stretch, a group of local villagers allegedly tried to stop it, suspecting the occupants to be cattle lifters. During the incident, the vehicle met with an accident, following which the mob allegedly assaulted the occupants and set the vehicle on fire.

Victims rushed to hospital, one dies of injuries

Police and personnel from the fire and emergency services rushed to the spot after receiving information from local residents. The injured were shifted to hospital for treatment.

One of the victims, identified as Sikhna Jwhwlao Bismit, also known as Raja, succumbed to his injuries. Four others — Prabhat Brahma, Jubiraj Brahma, Sunil Murmu, and Mahesh Murmu — sustained serious injuries and are undergoing treatment at Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital.

Protests, security deployment in Kokrajhar

The incident led to unrest in parts of the district, with security forces deployed in the area to prevent further escalation and restore normalcy.

On Tuesday, local residents staged protests outside a police outpost and blocked a key highway, demanding justice for the victim and swift action against those involved in the attack.

Police confirmed that 19 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident, and further investigation is underway.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Nitin Nabin on his election as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s new national president, describing the 45-year-old leader as a representative of a generation that has seen India transform across decades.

Addressing party workers at the BJP headquarters after the formal announcement, PM Modi underlined the organisational culture of the party by saying that in matters related to the organisation, the newly elected president would be his superior.

“When it comes to party matters, Mananiya Nitin Nabin ji is my boss. I am a worker,” the prime minister said, drawing applause from the gathering.

BJP leadership transition after Sanghatan Parv

Nitin Nabin was elected as BJP national president at the conclusion of the Sanghatan Parv, a wide-ranging organisational exercise that involved elections from the booth level up to the national leadership.

PM Modi said that as party president, Nabin’s role would go beyond managing the BJP’s internal affairs and would include ensuring coordination among National Democratic Alliance partners.

PM Modi highlights generational shift

Describing Nabin as a “millennial,” PM Modi said the new party chief belongs to a generation that grew up listening to news on the radio and is now comfortable using artificial intelligence.

According to the prime minister, this combination of adaptability, youthful energy and experience would be an asset for the party’s future.

“Nitin ji has youthful energy along with rich organisational experience,” PM Modi said.

Tracing BJP’s organisational journey

The prime minister also reflected on the BJP’s growth over the years, recalling its journey under different leaders.

He said the party rose from modest beginnings under leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi. In later years, leaders including M Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari expanded the organisation further.

PM Modi noted that under Rajnath Singh’s leadership, the BJP secured a full majority at the Centre for the first time, while under Amit Shah, the party expanded its footprint across states and returned to power nationally for a second consecutive term.

He added that during JP Nadda’s tenure as president, the BJP strengthened its presence from panchayat-level bodies to Parliament.