A 50-year-old man from Odisha, India, has triggered shock and outrage after reportedly exhuming his late sister’s skeleton to prove her death and access her bank account.
Jeetu Munda, a resident of Keonjhar district, allegedly took the remains to the Maliposi branch of Grameen Bank in Patana block while attempting to withdraw Ksh 27,361 (₹20,000) from his elder sister Kalra Munda’s account.
According to Hindustan Times, his late sister passed away on January 26.
The unusual scene quickly drew attention online after a video circulated widely, showing Munda with the skeletal remains as he confronted bank officials.
In the footage, he is seen wrapped in cloth around his waist, carrying what is described as his sister’s skeletal remains over his right shoulder, with parts of the remains exposed from the knees down.
Munda later told the outlet that repeated attempts to access the funds had failed, leaving him desperate.
“I ran to the bank several times, and they kept telling me to bring the account holder,” he said.
“Even after I explained she had died, they insisted. Out of desperation, I dug up her grave and brought her skeleton as proof.”
He claimed he acted on what he believed were instructions from bank staff after being repeatedly turned away.
Patna Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Kiran Prasad Sahu blamed the bank for the escalation.
“Jeetu is an illiterate tribal man who doesn’t understand legal concepts,” Sahu told PTI. “The officials failed to explain the proper procedure for withdrawing money from a deceased person’s account.”
Local Block Development Officer Manas Dandpat said the matter had only recently come to his attention.
“This is the first I’ve heard of it. We’ll investigate and resolve the issue promptly,” he said.
Police intervened to calm the situation and assured Munda they would help process the withdrawal through legal channels and oversee the reburial of Kalra Munda’s remains.
Despite the outrage, no arrests were made, with authorities only describing the incident as driven by frustration and lack of information rather than criminal intent.