Outrage in India after man brings sister’s remains to bank to prove her death

A shocking incident in eastern India has sparked widespread outrage after a man carried his sister’s skeletal remains to a bank in an attempt to prove her death and access her savings.

The man, identified as Jitu Munda, 52, exhumed the remains of his sister in Odisha’s Keonjhar district after repeated attempts to withdraw her money failed due to a lack of official documentation. A video of him placing the remains outside the bank went viral, prompting criticism of both local authorities and banking procedures.

Munda said his sister, Kalara, had died earlier this year after depositing about 19,300 rupees in her account. He claimed that despite multiple visits, bank officials continued to ask for proof of death, leading him to take the drastic step out of frustration.

The bank, operated by Indian Overseas Bank, denied asking for any physical proof, stating that staff had only requested legally required documents such as a death certificate and proof of legal heirship. It added that Munda had been informed of the proper process but did not follow it, and described the incident as “distressing.”

Local authorities have launched an investigation. Suresh Pujari said action would be taken if any misconduct is found, while district officials expressed concern over the handling of the case and stressed the importance of protecting citizens’ dignity.

Police later intervened, convincing Munda to return the remains to the burial site and assuring him that his concerns would be addressed. Officials subsequently issued the required documents, and the bank confirmed that the funds have now been released to the family.

The incident has reignited debate over bureaucratic hurdles in accessing funds after a person’s death, particularly in rural areas where families often struggle with paperwork and navigating formal banking systems.