A man in eastern India has said he was forced to carry his sister’s skeletal remains to a bank to prove her death after failing to withdraw her savings.
A video from Odisha state of Jitu Munda, 52, taking the remains to the bank went viral this week, sparking outrage. He said he acted in frustration after repeated attempts to access the money without being able to show official proof of death.
Police said he exhumed the woman’s remains to bring them to the bank.
The bank denied asking for this, saying they only demanded legally required documents. It added that the incident appeared to stem from a lack of awareness of procedures, and that the money has since been handed over to the legal heirs.
The bank also disputed other parts of Munda’s claims.
The incident, which took place in Keonjhar district on Monday, drew national attention, with many criticising local authorities and the bank for failing to help the man.
Odisha’s Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said the case was under investigation and that action would be taken against the branch manager over his alleged conduct. The Keonjhar district administration also expressed “deep concern”, saying protecting people’s rights and dignity was a priority.
Munda told BBC Hindi that the ordeal began after his 56-year-old sister, Kalara, died earlier this year. She had been working as a daily wage labourer and returned to her maternal home after the deaths of her husband and son, he said.
A few months before her death, she sold her livestock and deposited about 19,300 rupees ($203; £150) in the bank.
Munda said he visited the branch several times after her death but was unable to access the money.
“When the bank manager refused to listen and kept asking for proof, I got frustrated,” he said. “I brought the skeleton to show that she had died.”
The viral video shows him carrying a bundle of skeletal remains wrapped in a sack to the bank and placing it outside the building’s entrance. It’s not clear who shot the video.
After it sparked outrage, many people pointed out the bureaucratic hurdles involved in accessing someone’s funds after their death, particularly when they did not register a nominee who can claim it. Others highlighted the broader difficulties faced by rural families in navigating the banking system.
In India, if an account holder dies without naming a nominee, families must provide documents such as a death certificate and proof of legal heirship before funds can be released – a process that can take time, especially in remote villages where access to such paperwork is limited.
Following the backlash, Indian Overseas Bank, which operates the Odisha Grameen Bank where the incident took place, said reports that staff had asked for the physical presence of the deceased were “incorrect”.
It said Munda had been informed of the process but did not follow it. The bank also alleged he first arrived in an “inebriated state” and became disruptive, and later returned with the remains, describing the situation as “distressing”.
Branch manager Sushant Kumar Sethi told BBC Hindi that Munda had initially said his sister was paralysed and unable to visit the bank, and that staff had offered to visit her at home. He said Munda later claimed she died.
Sethi also disputed other parts of Munda’s account, saying he had not visited the branch in the past two months and that other legal heirs had come forward to claim the money, prompting officials to request the required documents.
Police and local officials later intervened, persuading Munda to return the remains to the burial ground and assuring him his request would be addressed. Officials have also offered him 30,000 rupees as assistance.
By Wednesday, officials had issued a death certificate and legal heir documents, and the bank said the money had been handed over to the woman’s family members.