A distressing incident in Rajasthan's Kota district has raised serious questions about the dignified transportation of deceased bodies. Rakesh (40), a contractual sanitation worker with the Sangod Municipality, died in a road accident. His family alleges that ambulance and private vehicle operators refused to transport the body due to its foul smell.

According to information, Rakesh had been missing for three days, and on Saturday, October 10, police informed his family of his death. His body was found in Khanpur, approximately 20 kilometers from Sangod. Family members identified the body at Khanpur hospital and then requested an ambulance or hearse to transport it to their home in Sangod. The family stated they contacted hospital authorities and several private ambulance operators, but no one was willing to transport the body due to the strong odor.

The family also sought assistance from the municipality, but claimed no suitable arrangements were made in time. Faced with this predicament, Rakesh's brother, Akash, took on the responsibility of bringing the body home. Akash, who also works as a temporary tipper driver for the municipality, brought his brother's body from Khanpur to Sangod in a garbage collection tipper. He stated that the tipper was thoroughly washed before the body was placed inside. The body remained in the vehicle for about an hour, and Rakesh's last rites were performed shortly after reaching home.

Hansraj, a foreman at Sangod Municipality, clarified that the body was in Khanpur, and no vehicle was willing to transport it due to the smell. He claimed that the tipper was sent to retrieve the body at the family's request. This incident highlights severe deficiencies in the system for dignified transportation of the deceased, where a family had to resort to a garbage vehicle to bring their loved one's body home.