Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Monday witnessed a shocking incident. A a tribal man brought the skeletal remains of his deceased sister to a bank in an attempt to access money deposited in her name, according to reports quoting police. The incident took place at the Maliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank in the Patana block. The man, identified as Jeetu Munda (50), a resident of Dianali village, had been trying to withdraw Rs 20,000 from the account of his elder sister, Kalra Munda (56), who passed away two months ago following an illness. The amount had been earned through the sale of her cattle.
With no other legal heir, Jeetu had approached the bank multiple times in recent days seeking to withdraw the funds. However, bank officials asked him to produce a death certificate and other necessary documentation before processing the request.
Why Jeetu Munda Exhumed Sister’s Skelton And Brought To Bank
Unable to provide the required documents, Jeetu Munda took an extreme step. He exhumed his sister’s skeletal remains from her burial site and brought them to the bank as proof of her death.
“I have run to the bank several times, and the people there told me to bring the account holder to withdraw money deposited in her name. Though I told them that she had died, they did not listen to me and insisted on bringing her to the bank. Therefore, out of frustration, I dug the grave and brought out her skeleton as proof of her death,” Jeetu Munda, who is illiterate, told reporters.
What Police Said About Odisha Exhumation Case
Patana Police Station Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Kiran Prasad Sahu reached the bank after being informed of the situation. He spoke a lack of awareness about banking procedures as a key issue.
“Jeetu is an illiterate tribal man. He does not know what the legal heir or nominee is. The bank officials have failed to make him understand the procedure to withdraw money from the dead person’s account,” Sahu said.
Police assured Jeetu that they would facilitate the withdrawal process. The skeletal remains were later reburied at the graveyard in the presence of police officials.
Odisha Administration Steps In
Local Block Development Officer (BDO) Manas Dandpat said he had not been approached earlier regarding the issue.
“Today only, I came to know about it. We will see what can be done to resolve the issue,” Dandpat said, according to a India Today report.
According to reports quoting bank officials, the nominee listed in Kalra Munda’s account had also passed away, leaving Jeetu as the sole claimant to the funds.
The local administration has since directed bank officials to make necessary arrangements to ensure that Jeetu receives the money at the earliest, in accordance with rules.
Financial Literacy Gap In India
The incident has also drawn attention to the broader issue of financial literacy in India. According to the National Centre for Financial Education, only 27% of Indian adults meet basic financial literacy standards, well below the global average of 42%.
The gap is even more pronounced among millennials, with just 19% demonstrating adequate financial knowledge despite expressing high confidence in their understanding.
Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India’s Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) for the year ending March 2025 stood at 67.0, up from 64.2 in March 2024. Introduced in 2021, the index measures financial inclusion across sectors including banking, investment, insurance, postal services, and pensions.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
