In a startling incident that has gripped eastern India, an elderly man exhumed his sister’s remains and brought them to a local bank to prove she was dead and claim the funds in her account.
The event took place on Monday, April 27, 2026, at the Maliposi branch of the Odisha Grameen Bank in the Keonjhar district of Odisha.
The man, identified as Jitu Munda of Dianali village, had been trying to withdraw approximately Rs 20,000 from the account of his late sister, Kalara Munda, who passed away on January 26. Despite his repeated visits, bank officials reportedly insisted that the account holder must be present to process the withdrawal.
Driven to desperation by what he perceived as a refusal to acknowledge her passing, Munda dug up her grave and carried the skeletal remains to the bank.
“I told them she had died, but they did not listen. They kept saying, bring the account holder to withdraw the money. Out of frustration, I dug the grave and brought her skeleton as proof that she is no more,” Munda explained.
Police officials from the Patana division were called to the scene to manage the situation. Kiran Prasad Sahu, a police official, noted that the incident highlighted a severe lack of communication and empathy for individuals unfamiliar with banking bureaucracy.
“Jeetu is an illiterate tribal man. He does not understand what a legal heir or nominee means. The bank officials failed to make him understand the procedure to withdraw money from a deceased person’s account,” Sahu observed.
The situation was further complicated by the fact that the listed nominee for the account had also died, leaving Munda as the only surviving claimant. Following the public outcry and police intervention, local authorities have vowed to assist him.
Manas Dandpat, a local official, stated:“Today only, I came to know about it. We will see what can be done to resolve the issue,” adding that steps are being taken to ensure the legal documents are processed so Munda can access the money.
Odisha’s Minister Suresh Pujari also reacted strongly to the “inhuman approach” of the bank staff:“Action needs to be taken against the bank employees for this inhuman approach… 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.”
The remains of Kalara Munda were later returned to the gravesite and reburied in the presence of police personnel.
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