NOIDA, Jan. 20 -- The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday removed Noida Authority chief executive officer (CEO) Lokesh M from his post and constituted a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the circumstances that led to the death of a 27-year-old software engineer who drowned in a water-filled excavation pit in Sector 150 two days earlier, officials said.

The move came amid mounting public outrage over what many have described as a chain of civic negligence and an agonisingly delayed rescue operation that unfolded in full public view.

According to a statement issued by the chief minister's office, the SIT will be headed by additional director general (Meerut zone) Bhanu Bhaskar, with Meerut divisional commissioner Bhanu...