Story perspectives

Man Exhumes Sister’s Body to Access INR19k Bank Savings

4/29/2026

Summary

Munda Exhumes Sister

On April 27 2026, Jeetu Munda brought his sister’s remains to a Grameen Bank branch in Keonjhar, Odisha, to withdraw her INR19,300-INR20,000 savings.
Bank staff refused because they lacked a death certificate and legal-heir papers, so Munda exhumed the body, walked three kilometres to the Maliposi branch, and police secured and reburied the remains.
Authorities ordered the INR19,402 deposit released and Odisha minister Suresh Pujari announced action against the staff.

Summary

Munda Exposes Banking

Video of Jeetu Munda carrying his sister’s exhumed skeleton went viral, sparking outrage over rural banking.
Congress posted on X that the incident showed harassment by bank officials and should stop.
BJD MP Manas Ranjan Mangaraj wrote to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urging simplification of banking for the poor.
Indian Overseas Bank, sponsor of Grameen Bank, said staff asked for a death certificate and did not require the deceased’s presence.

History

Historical Context

The Banking Regulation Act, enacted on 16 March 1949, gave the RBI power to set banking policies and was expanded in 1965 to cover cooperative banks, laying groundwork for later KYC rules. Today, Jeetu Munda’s attempt to claim INR19,402 from Odisha’s Grameen Bank has revived calls from Minister Suresh Pujari and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to simplify verification.

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Munda Exhumes Sister

On April 27 2026, Jeetu Munda brought his sister’s remains to a Grameen Bank branch in Keonjhar, Odisha, to withdraw her INR19,300-INR20,000 savings.
Bank staff refused because they lacked a death certificate and legal-heir papers, so Munda exhumed the body, walked three kilometres to the Maliposi branch, and police secured and reburied the remains.
Authorities ordered the INR19,402 deposit released and Odisha minister Suresh Pujari announced action against the staff.

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