In a shocking incident that exposes a complete lack of empathy in administrative rules, a tribal man in Odisha’s Keonjhar district was forced to carry his deceased sister’s skeleton to a bank. Jitu Munda, a resident of Dianali village, walked nearly 3 kilometers with the remains slung over his shoulder just to withdraw ₹19,300 from his sister’s account. The sight left locals in tears and sparked widespread public outrage against the banking authorities.
Jitu’s sister, Kakra Munda, passed away two months ago. Having already lost her husband and only child, Jitu was her sole surviving relative. Kakra had a savings account at a Bank in Mallipasi. Being poor and uneducated, Jitu approached the bank to claim the money for his survival, but the manager reportedly refused to release the funds. He was told that either the account holder must appear in person or he must provide a legal heir certificate and a death certificate.
Confused by the complex paperwork and desperate for the money, Jitu did the unthinkable. On Monday, he went to the village burial ground, dug up his sister’s remains, and wrapped her skeleton in a cloth. He then trekked to the bank under the scorching sun, hoping that “showing” his sister to the officials would satisfy their requirements.
The scene at the bank was chaotic as shocked onlookers questioned how a system could be so heartless toward a poor man. Many argued that the bank could have verified his identity through the Village Sarpanch instead of demanding documents he didn’t know how to obtain. Eventually, the police arrived at the spot, calmed Jitu down, and promised to resolve the issue on humanitarian grounds. They have also stated that they will seek an explanation from the bank officials regarding the incident.
Deputy Editor, Prime Post
Anand Gantela is a seasoned media professional with nearly three decades of experience across the spectrum of Indian journalism. Having worked extensively in both print and broadcast media, he has held key positions at renowned outlets such as Prajashakthi, Andhra Bhoomi, Mudra, Media India, Siti Cable, Mana Telugu, and Maa TV. From ground-level reporting to managing news bureaus and overseeing bulletin production, Anand has witnessed the evolution of news firsthand. His wealth of experience reflects a deep understanding of the dynamic and ever- evolving landscape of news reporting.
