Distressing visuals from Odisha’s Keonjhar district have gone viral showing a man carrying his sister’s skeletal remains to a bank in an attempt to withdraw money from her account after repeated refusals by officials.
The incident occurred on April 27 at the Odisha Grameen Bank branch in Maliposi under Patana block. The man, identified as Jeetu Munda, a 50-year-old resident of Dianali village, had been trying to withdraw Rs 20,000 from the account of his elder sister Kalra Munda, who died on January 26 this year.
After the deaths of her husband and only son, Kalra Munda had returned to her parental home and maintained a savings account at the local bank branch. Following her death around two months ago, the family performed her last rites and buried her near their home.
Jeetu said he repeatedly visited the bank with her passbook and informed officials about her death, but claimed they insisted that the account holder be brought in person.
“I have run several times to the bank, and the people there told me to bring the account holder to withdraw money deposited in her name. Though I told them that she had died, they did not listen to me and insisted on bringing her to the bank. Therefore, out of frustration, I dug the grave and brought out her skeleton as proof of her death,” Jeetu Munda told reporters.
Reacting strongly to the incident, Odisha minister Suresh Pujari said, “I have talked to the administration regarding this. Action needs to be taken against the bank employees for this inhuman approach. I will instruct the senior officials at the bank to not treat this as an isolated case and punish the accused.”
“The death certificate of the person wasn’t enough for the bank employees which compelled the man to dig out his dead sister’s remains. Such an incident has never happened in India. The government has taken serious note of the conduct of the bank employees and will take up the matter at the appropriate level to ensure that the accused are punished,” he added.
Sub-Collector Uma Shankar Dalai said Jeetu was unaware of the legal procedures required for withdrawing money from a deceased person’s account and acted out of frustration. Officials said he was not a Class-I legal heir, due to which the bank had sought documents he could not provide.
Patana Police Station Inspector-in-charge Kiran Prasad Sahu said, “Jeetu is an illiterate tribal man. He does not know what the legal heir or nominee is. The bank officials have failed to make him understand the procedure to withdraw money from the dead person’s account.”
Police later assured Jeetu that they would help him complete the withdrawal process. The skeletal remains were subsequently reburied in the presence of police personnel.
Meanwhile, local Block Development Officer Manas Dandpat said no one had approached his office earlier for a legal heir certificate. Bank sources stated that the nominee registered in Kalra Munda’s account had also died, making Jeetu the sole claimant. The local administration has now directed bank officials to ensure the amount is released to him as per rules at the earliest.
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