A man identified as Jeetu Munda, 50, stunned employees and customers at an Odisha Grameen Bank branch in India when he showed up at the teller window carrying the skeleton of his own sister.
The unusual act was not a tasteless joke, but a desperate and radical measure by Munda to prove that her sister had indeed died and thus be able to withdraw the woman’s savings.
The tragedy began on January 26, 2026 , the day Jeetu’s sister died. After her death, he repeatedly went to the bank to try to withdraw 20,000 rupees (about $240) that she had left in his account. Despite Jeetu verbally explaining that his sister was deceased, he encountered an insurmountable administrative barrier.
According to reports, bank staff, under extreme rigidity, insisted on multiple occasions that he had to “present the account holder in person” to authorize any movement of funds.
A radical decision: he took the body out and carried it throughout the community
Frustrated by the constant refusals and due to his lack of knowledge about legal succession processes or how to present a death certificate, Jeetu made a decision that is now making headlines around the world.
He went to the Dianali village cemetery, exhumed his sister’s remains , and moved them to the bank to present them as the definitive “physical proof” of her death.
Following the altercation that paralyzed operations at the branch, the bank issued a statement clarifying its position. They indicated that the conflict stemmed from a misunderstanding regarding legal protocols, as staff were requesting the official death certificate to release the funds, a document that Mr. Munda never provided.
The bank also stated that the man was allegedly intoxicated during the incident. However, they emphasized that, regardless of the circumstances, Munda’s intention was always to protect the savings his sister had accumulated during her lifetime.
The case has sparked a heated debate in India about the need to streamline administrative processes for people with limited resources and no legal counsel, to prevent desperation from leading to such heartbreaking acts as this.
Related
