In a shocking incident that has sparked widespread outrage in India, a man in the eastern state of Odisha carried his sister's skeletal remains to a bank to prove she had died, after repeated failed attempts to withdraw her savings.
Jitu Munda, 52, exhumed the remains to bring them to the bank in Keonjhar district on Monday, saying he acted out of frustration. A viral video shows him placing a bundle of bones wrapped in a sack outside the bank's entrance.
Munda told BBC Hindi that his sister, Kalara, a daily wage laborer who had lost her husband and son, deposited about 19,300 rupees ($203) before her death earlier this year. When he tried to access the money, the bank demanded documentation he could not provide.
"When the bank manager refused to listen and kept asking for proof, I got frustrated," Munda said. "I brought the skeleton to show that she had died."
Indian Overseas Bank, which operates the rural bank where the incident occurred, denied requesting the physical remains, stating they only asked for legally required documents. The bank claimed Munda arrived in an "inebriated state" and became disruptive. Branch manager Sushant Kumar Sethi said staff had initially offered to visit Munda's sister at home when he claimed she was paralyzed.
The incident has highlighted the bureaucratic hurdles rural families face in accessing funds after a death, especially when no nominee is registered. In such cases, banks require a death certificate and proof of legal heirship—documents that can be difficult to obtain in remote villages.
Following the backlash, officials issued a death certificate and legal heir documents on Wednesday. The bank confirmed the money has been handed over to the woman's family members. Authorities have also offered Munda 30,000 rupees as assistance.
Odisha's Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said the case is under investigation, with potential action against the branch manager. The district administration expressed "deep concern," emphasizing the importance of protecting people's rights and dignity.