Odisha bank at fault for not helping man who carried sister's skeleton: Probe

A preliminary probe into the shocking incident in Odisha's Keonjhar, where a tribal man carried his sister’s skeleton to a bank as proof of death to access her savings, has indicated that the bank staff may have failed to cooperate with him during the process.

The Odisha government launched an inquiry after a video of 50-year-old Jeetu Munda carrying his sister’s remains to the Odisha Grameen Bank to withdraw Rs 20,000 went viral, triggering outrage across the state. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered an investigation into the matter, news agency PTI reported.

As part of the probe, officials led by the Revenue Divisional Commissioner of Northern Division visited the bank branch, examined CCTV footage and questioned staff to reconstruct the events. The team also travelled to Dianali village to record Munda’s statement.

Investigators found that Munda and his late sister had visited the bank multiple times in the past for transactions. On the day of the incident, he spent over 30 minutes at the branch and met the manager twice before leaving distressed.

Officials said CCTV footage confirmed his presence at the bank, though the absence of audio has made it difficult to determine the exact interaction between staff and Munda, PTI reported.

Early findings suggest procedural lapses and inadequate assistance may have contributed to the incident, with authorities warning of strict action against those found responsible.

Earlier, sponsor bank Indian Overseas Bank had said the issue may have stemmed from a lack of awareness about claim settlement procedures and a misunderstanding over the documentation process.

The case has sparked political reactions, with leaders from the Odisha Congress and the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) visiting Munda’s village and demanding compensation and a deeper investigation. The state government has, meanwhile, provided financial aid to Munda, who has also received money from his deceased sister’s account.

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(with inputs from PTI)