Odisha Tribal Man Brings Sister’s Skeleton to Bank Over Withdrawal Dispute

On 27 April 2026, Jeetu Munda, a 50-year-old tribal resident of Dianali village in Keonjhar district, exhumed the skeletal remains of his elder sister, Kalra Munda (56), who had died on 26 January 2026, and presented them at the Maliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank in Patana block. He demanded withdrawal of the INR19,300–INR20,000 deposited in her account. Bank staff immediately notified Patana police, who retrieved the remains and reburied them. The district collector later arranged a payment of INR30,000 from the District Red Cross Fund and, through the tehsildar, handed over INR19,402 with interest to Jeetu Munda.

OnmanoramaMan Brings Deceased Sister’s Skeleton to Bank to Access Her Account in Odisha’s KeonjharCNBC TV18Frustrated with bank's apathy, Odisha man brings sister’s skeleton to withdraw moneyOdisha shocker: Tribal man brings dead sister's skeleton toMan Brings Skeleton to Bank, Sparks Uproar in Odisha; Bank Denies Claims

Indian Overseas Bank said its staff only requested the standard death-certificate and related documents, not the physical presence of the deceased, and pledged priority settlement once the certificate is issued. The bank also described the man’s conduct as “disruptive” and “highly distressing.” Inspector Kiran Prasad Sahu blamed the incident on the petitioner’s lack of awareness of legal-heir procedures. Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari criticised the “lack of humanitarian approach” by bank officials and promised strict action.

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BJD Rajya Sabha leader Manas Ranjan Mangaraj wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urging simplification of death-account procedures for the poor. The BJD’s social-media post called the incident “unimaginable, crossing all limits of cruelty.” The Congress state unit demanded an end to “harassment by bank officials,” while opposition parties questioned the BJP-led state administration’s handling of tribal grievances. Opponents also highlighted systemic neglect of tribal communities.

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Accounts differ on whether bank officials explicitly demanded the sister’s presence; the bank denies such a request, while some reports claim officials insisted on physical appearance. The withdrawal amount is cited as INR19,300, INR20,000, and INR19,402 with interest. One source described Jeetu Munda as “inebriated,” another omitted that detail. The death certificate remains pending.

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• “I visited the bank several times, but officials kept asking me to bring the account holder. I told them she had died, but they did not listen,” — Jeetu Munda, petitioner.

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• “As per banking regulations, third-party withdrawals are not permitted without proper authorisation.” — Indian Overseas Bank statement.

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• “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,” — Inspector Kiran Prasad Sahu.

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• “This is truly unfortunate. Such harassment by bank officials must stop.” — Congress state unit, X post.

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Local authorities have applied for Kalra Munda’s death certificate, and the bank has pledged to settle the claim once the document is issued. The episode has prompted calls for clearer communication of death-account procedures in rural branches and may inform policy reviews by the state finance department.

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