Lakhimpur Kheri (UP): Two men were forced to carry their dead sister on their shoulders through flooded fields here because they couldn't find any vehicle to transport the body of the 17-year-old to their village.
A video clip that surfaced on social media showed the brothers -- one of them carrying the body -- walking along railway tracks on raised ground with flood waters on both sides.
They were apparently heading for Kaanp village in the Kishanpur sanctuary area near Bhira.
As his brother walked along the tracks carrying Shivani's body, Manoj told some reporters that they were able to arrange a horse-drawn cart up to the Atariya railway crossing, where they crossed the flooded road and embarked on the last leg of their journey on foot.
He said they could neither provide better medical treatment to their ailing sister nor could they arrange any vehicle to carry the body to their village owing to the suspension of road traffic to Palia due to floods in the river Sharda.
Shivani (17), who had been suffering from typhoid for a week, was pursuing her studies in Palia town.
Manoj said his sister was hospitalised in Palia but her condition deteriorated and she had to be put on oxygen support.
On Wednesday, they wanted to shift her to Lakhimpur for better treatment but could not as the overflowing Sharda inundated the town, completely disrupting vehicular movement, he added.
Shivani died a day later, Manoj said.
Palia, along with Nighasan, Dhaurahra and Lakhimpur tehsils, is among the worst-hit by floods caused by the Sharda, Ghaghra, Mohana and other rivers.
In Palia, Sharda eroded the Bhira-Palia highway, disconnecting it from the district headquarters a couple of days back.
The other major route connecting Palia to the district headquarters through Nighasan was also submerged in knee-deep water and was closed for traffic from July 9 to July 11 evening.
Palia Sub-Divisional Magistrate Kartikey Singh expressed grief over the incident and said if the matter was brought to his notice in time, he could have found some way to help the family.
Published 12 July 2024, 16:05 IST