Skeleton in the Bank: Desperate Odisha Man Exhumes Sister to Prove Death
In Keonjhar, a man exhumed his sister’s remains to prove her death after failing to access her bank savings due to procedural hurdles.
KEONJHAR, ( ODISHA ) – In a chilling testament to bureaucratic red tape and desperation, a 50-year-old man in Odisha’s Keonjhar district walked into a bank on Monday carrying his sister’s skeletal remains in a sack. His goal: to prove she was dead so he could withdraw her savings.
The incident occurred at the Maliposi branch of Odisha Gramya Bank. The man, identified as Jeetu Munda of Dianali village, had been struggling for months to access approximately ₹20,000 left in the account of his elder sister, Kalra Munda, who passed away in January.
A Plea Ignored
Munda, who is illiterate and lives in a remote tribal pocket, claimed he had visited the bank multiple times to report his sister’s death. However, he alleged that bank officials repeatedly told him that the “account holder must be present” for the withdrawal or insisted on a formal death certificate—a document Munda did not know how to obtain.
“I told them she was dead and buried, but they didn’t listen,” Munda told local reporters. “They said, ‘Bring her here.’ So, I went to the burial ground, dug her up, and brought her.”
Panic at the Counter
Witnesses described a scene of pure horror as Munda arrived at the bank under a sweltering sun, having walked nearly three kilometres with the remains. When he emptied the sack on the bank floor to present the “proof,” staff and customers fled the building in panic.
Local police from the Patana Police Station arrived shortly after to intervene.
Official Response
The bank management has denied specifically asking for the body, suggesting there was a communication gap or a misunderstanding of the requirement for a legal heir certificate.
“This is a deeply tragic and sensitive matter,” said a local administrative official. “While rules for fund withdrawal are strict to prevent fraud, the lack of empathy and assistance for an illiterate man is concerning.”
Humanitarian Aid
Following the public outcry, the Block Development Officer (BDO) and local police have stepped in to assist Munda. Authorities have promised to fast-track the issuance of a death certificate and legal heir documents on humanitarian grounds.
The remains of Kalra Munda were later taken back to the village by police and reburied with dignity.
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