Odisha Man Exhumes Sister's Decomposed Body After Bank Seeks Death Proof For Rs 19K Claim; Authorities Disburse Amount

Keonjhar: Some stories shake the conscience and break hearts. In an incident that questioned basic tenets of humanity, an elderly tribal man from Odisha’s Keonjhar district allegedly exhumed his sister’s remains and brought them to a bank after failing to access the money she had left behind. The scene that unfolded near the Odisha Grameen Bank in Patana block here left onlookers shocked and heartbroken.

Jitu Munda, an illiterate resident of Dianali village, had been trying to withdraw Rs 19,300 from the account of his sister, Kalara Munda, who died two months ago. When he approached the bank, officials reportedly told him that only the legal heir or nominee could claim the money. But for Jitu, the clauses meant foregoing the amount. Neither was he aware of banking rules nor could he gauge the seriousness of the claim.

Without waiting any further, a desperate Jitu allegedly dug up his sister’s remains from the graveyard and placed them outside the bank to prove that she was dead, and the claim was justified. He demanded that the savings from her account be given to him. The sight made people emotional to the extent that many were seen crying.

On being informed, police rushed to the spot and assured Jitu that the administration would help him access the money. The skeletal remains were subsequently taken back and reburied in the presence of the police.

“Jitu is illiterate and does not understand legal heir or nominee. The bank officials, who should have told him in detail, failed to make him understand the procedure to withdraw money from a dead person’s account,” said Patana Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Kiran Prasad Sahu.

Local Block Development Officer Manas Dandpat said the administration would do whatever is possible to set things right. “Today I came to know about it. We will see what can be done to resolve the issue,” he said.

In a clarification issued by the bank later, it said that officials did not demand the physical presence of a deceased customer for withdrawal and that the claim will be settled as soon as the death certificate is submitted. Bank sources also revealed that the nominee named in Kalara Munda’s account had also passed away, leaving Jitu as the sole claimant under the rules.

Satyabrat Nanda, Regional Coordinator of Odisha Grameen Bank, Keonjhar, said the incident was unfortunate. "We have come here to conduct an inquiry. Jitu came here on Monday in an inebriated condition and demanded money from his sister's account. The manager told him about the need of a death certificate and other formalities, but probably he could not understand," said Nanda.

Assuring of prompt redressal, he said once the death certificate of the nominee details are chalked out, Jitu will be paid the money left by his sister. "We will help him get the money once the other formalities are over," said Nanda, refuting Jeetu's allegation that he had to go to the bank time and again to claim the money.

For Jitu, Rs 19,300 was not just a bank balance but a little hope for a few days of survival for him. Eyewitnesses said it was a realisation of how the crushing weight of a system can lead someone to a state of helplessness that becomes impossible to navigate.

The Indian Overseas Bank, however, has denied the allegation and assured that the claim will be settled once the death certificate is submitted. Bank officials did not demand the physical presence of a deceased customer for withdrawal, it clarified.

In a post on its X handle, the bank said that Jitu Munda, visited the branch for the first time, requesting a withdrawal from an account held in his sister’s name, Kalara Munda. "As per banking regulations, third-party withdrawals are not permitted without proper authorisation. Upon being informed, he stated that the account holder was deceased. Our Branch Manager clearly explained that in the event of death, settlement can only be processed upon submission of valid documents, including a death certificate," the post read.

"The individual who was in an inebriated condition became disruptive and later returned with human remains, reportedly exhumed after being buried a few days earlier, placing them in front of the branch and claiming it to be his sister while demanding withdrawal from her account. This created a highly distressing situation at the premises. Local police authorities were immediately informed, and the matter was handled under their supervision," the post stated.

The bank said the incident resulted from a lack of awareness of the claim settlement process and the individual’s unwillingness to follow the procedures explained by the Branch Manager. "The bank intended to protect the interest of the poor tribal women's monies in the account. There is no case of any harassment. The bank is also in continuous coordination with local authorities for the issuance of the death certificate. The claim will be settled on priority once the death certificate is submitted," it said, adding, "Our sponsored Regional Rural Bank, Odisha Grameen Bank, remains committed to compassionate, lawful, and transparent service to all customers".

Speaking on the issue, state revenue minister Suresh Pujari said that the incident was heart-wrenching. He said a fact-finding team has been formed and it will submit its report on Wednesday.

The incident also drew the attention of the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. In his reaction, BJD leader Devi Prasad Mishra said, "The incident is shocking and unprecedented. Such a shameful incident should not happen in modern society. It has left the entire nation in shock.” The BJD has formed a committee to investigate this incident. Under the direction of BJD President Navin Patnaik, former minister and senior MLA Barid Pari, a committee has been formed under the leadership of Abhimanyu Sethi, former MLA.

The administration moved with unusual alacrity on Tuesday, completing all formalities and disbursing the payment within a single day. Senior officials of the bank reached the village where the incident occurred and disbursed the amount.

(The story has been updated as per latest developments.)

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