'They said bring account holder': Odisha man takes dead sister's skeleton to bank to withdraw money

In a bizarre incident, a man in Odisha made headlines for bringing his dead sister's skeleton to the bank. The 50-year-old reportedly brought the skeleton as part of his bid to withdraw the money deposited in his sister's name at the bank.

The incident took place on 27 April at the Maliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank located at Patana block of Keonjhar district, news agency PTI reported. The man, identified as Jeetu Munda, told police officials that he resorted to this move after the bank managers told him to bring the account holder with him.

The tribal man was seeking to withdraw ₹20,000 from the bank account of his elder sister, Kalra Munda, who died on 26 January.

"I have run several times to the bank, 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," Munda told reporters.

Patna Police Station Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Kiran Prasad Sahu said that the bank failed to explain the proper process for withdrawing the money to Jeetu.

"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 told news agency PTI.

However, local Block Development Officer (BDO) Manas Dandpat stated that this was the first he was hearing of the incident.

"Today only, I came to know about it. We will see what can be done to resolve the issue," the BDO told PTI.

Following the incident, police officials stepped in and assured the tribal man that they would facilitate the withdrawal of the money from the account of his dead sister.

The skeletal remains of his sister were also buried at the graveyard under police supervision.