BHOPAL: In a disturbing picture of how floods can strip even the dead of dignity, villagers in Rouli village of MP’s Rewa district had to tie drums together to make a makeshift raft and place a body on it to cross floodwaters and reach the deceased’s home from hospital.The episode has triggered allegations of insensitivity against the local panchayat, even as officials denied the charges and claimed boats had already been arranged for the village.Motilal Tiwari, a 55-year-old resident of Rouli under Jawa block in Rewa’s Sirmour assembly constituency, died on Sunday at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa town after prolonged illness. The route to his house was cut off by floodwaters, forcing villagers to put together the makeshift raft through the water before taking it home.

The last rites were performed subsequently.A video of the body on the raft surfaced on social media, triggering outrage. Villagers sought an inquiry.Rouli panchayat official Vivek Tiwari denied allegations about lack of help. “Tamas river was flowing through the spot. We had deployed three boats for the village and when we were informed (about the death), another was arranged. But in an attempt to defame us and under the influence of some persons, the kin (of the deceased) clicked made videos after carrying the body on drums,” Vivek said .

The Rewa row comes amid similar scenes elsewhere in the rain-hit region. In Shahdol’s Byohari area, a 45-year-old woman’s body was found in a garden across the swollen Jhappar river on Sunday. With no bridge, a police vehicle had to stop nearly 1km before the spot. TNN