'Was drunk': Odisha bank on man who brought sister's corpse
What's the story
The Odisha Grameen Bank branch has claimed the tribal man who brought his sister's skeletal remains to the bank in Maliposi to withdraw his deceased sister's ₹19,402 was drunk. The story went viral after the man, Jitu Munda, was captured carrying his sister Kalra's corpse to the bank. Kalra had passed away in January. Jitu had approached the bank several times but was told he needed to bring the account holder or legal heir documents for withdrawal.
Withdrawal deadlock
Jitu dug up his sister's grave
When Jitu approached the bank to withdraw the balance, the bank manager refused, stating the account holder must be present or have legal heir documents. Frustrated by the bank's insistence, Jitu dug up her grave. "I have run several times to the bank, and the people there told me to bring the account holder to withdraw....Though I told them that she had died, they did not listen to me and insisted on bringing her to the bank," he told reporters.
Emergency response
Case of 'lack of awareness about procedures'
The bank, however, said that reports claiming Jitu carried the remains of his sister due to a demand by bank officials for the physical presence of the deceased for claim settlement "are incorrect and not based on facts." "We have already issued a clarification note...clarifying the facts that the individual was in inebriated state and incident...happened due to a lack of awareness of the claim settlement process and the individual's unwillingness to accept the procedures explained by the Branch Manager."
Claim settlement
Bank settles claim amount
The bank has since settled the claim amount of ₹19,402 and government authorities have issued a death certificate. "Immediately on receipt of these documents, Bank has settled the claim amount of ₹19,402 in the name of three legal heirs and money handed over to them, in accordance with established norms," it wrote in the post. The remains were reburied at the graveyard as per police directions after being removed from the bank premises.