Writer:Salima Aryaei
An unusual and attention-grabbing incident in the state of Odisha in eastern India has attracted media and social media attention. According to reports, a 50-year-old man named Jitu Munda exhumed the skeleton of his deceased sister and took it to a bank.
The incident took place on Monday, April 27, in a village in Odisha. It is reported that Jitu Munda visited a local branch of the “Grameen Odisha” bank to withdraw 20,000 rupees that had been deposited into his late sister’s account. His sister, Kalra Munda, had passed away about three months ago at the age of 56.
According to the information released, bank officials asked Jitu Munda to provide official proof of his sister’s death in order to withdraw the money. He then claimed that due to his inability to complete the administrative procedures, he decided to exhume his sister’s grave and bring her remains to the bank to prove her death.
His action triggered a strong reaction from the local community and quickly spread across media outlets and social networks. Reports suggest that when he arrived at the bank branch with the remains, the local police were also informed.
In an interview with reporters, Jitu Munda explained that he had visited the bank multiple times, but he was asked to have the account holder present. He added, “I told them my sister had died, but they didn’t believe me. Out of desperation, I opened her grave and brought her skeleton in a bag to the bank.”
The “Indian Overseas Bank” also confirmed that this incident occurred at one of its rural branches. In a statement, the bank said the event took place on April 27, 2026, at the Maliposi branch in Patna block, Keonjhar district.
The statement further clarified that the bank had never required the physical presence of a deceased customer and that the actions were due to a misunderstanding and the individual’s unfamiliarity with the administrative process. The bank also emphasized that providing an official death certificate and relevant inheritance documents was sufficient for withdrawing the money, and after completing the legal procedures, the desired amount would be paid to the rightful heir.
