An elderly man, Jitu Munda of Dianali village, in eastern India, stunned bank officials and customers after exhuming his late sister’s remains to prove her death and access money in her account.

The incident occurred in the Malipasi area of Keonjhar district in Odisha, according to a report by the Hindu, Munda of Dianali village, had approached the Maliposi branch of the Odisha Grameen Bank in the Patana block to withdraw about Rs 20,000 from the account of his elder sister, Kalara Munda, who died on January 26.

However, bank officials requested the required documentation before processing the claim.

In a dramatic response, Munda dug up his sister’s skeleton and brought it to the bank as proof of her death, shocking those present.

With no formal education and little understanding of banking procedures, Munda said repeated visits to the bank yielded no result.

“I told them she had died, but they did not listen. They kept saying, bring the account holder to withdraw the money. Out of frustration, I dug the grave and brought her skeleton as proof that she is no more,” he said.

The unusual incident prompted officers from the Patana police division to visit the bank after being alerted.

A police official, Kiran Prasad Sahu, said the situation highlighted a communication gap.

“Jeetu is an illiterate tribal man. He does not understand what a legal heir or nominee means. The bank officials failed to make him understand the procedure to withdraw money from a deceased person’s account,” Sahu said.

Following police intervention, bank officials assured Munda that the process for accessing the funds would be facilitated in line with due procedures.

The remains were later returned and reburied at the gravesite in the presence of police personnel.

Reports indicated that the situation was further complicated because the nominee on the account had also died, leaving Munda as the sole surviving claimant.

A local official, Manas Dandpat, said the authorities were only made aware of the situation recently.

“Today only, I came to know about it. We will see what can be done to resolve the issue,” he said, adding that steps had been taken to ensure the man receives the money in accordance with the law.

Authorities in the Patna block assured that Munda would be helped in securing a legal heir certificate and other documents required for claiming the money in the account.

Punch/Tititlayo Kupoliyi

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