Villagers in Rewa use drum raft to transport deceased amid flood blockage
After floodwaters cut off the road to his home, residents of Rouli village tied drums together as a raft to move Motilal Tiwari’s body from the hospital.
In Rewa district’s Rouli village, the death of 55-year-old Motilal Tiwari at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital led to an unusual transport method when floodwaters severed the road to his home. Villagers bound several drums together to create a raft, placing the body on it to navigate the inundated Tamas river. A video of the scene circulated online, prompting public anger and demands for an investigation.
Panchayat representative Vivek Tiwari refuted accusations of inadequate assistance, stating that three boats were already serving the village and another was dispatched once the death was reported. He suggested the video was intended to tarnish the panchayat’s reputation. The episode mirrors other flood-related incidents in the rain-hit area, such as a woman’s corpse discovered near the Jhappar river in Shahdol’s Byohari locality, where police were forced to stop a kilometre short of the site due to missing bridges. Authorities continue to arrange boat services for affected communities.
Why it matters
The story highlights how severe flooding can force communities to resort to undignified measures for handling the dead, raising concerns about disaster response and cultural sensitivity.
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