Odisha 'skeleton' row: Bank says man was inebriated, 'created a distressing situation'

NEW DELHI: The Indian Overseas Bank issued an official statement after a man in Odisha exhumed and brought his deceased sister’s remains to a branch in Keonjhar district on 27 April, in an attempt to withdraw money from her account.The bank issued clarification on the incident at the Malliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank, a sponsored regional rural bank, amid reports alleging misconduct by bank officials.The statement said, “Contrary to certain media reports, bank officials did not demand the physical presence of a deceased customer for withdrawal,” adding that procedures were followed in line with banking regulations.According to the bank, the man, identified as Jitu Munda, had approached the branch seeking to withdraw funds from an account held in the name of his sister, Kalara Munda. Officials informed him that third-party withdrawals were not permitted without proper authorisation. When he stated that the account holder was deceased, the branch manager explained that claims could only be settled upon submission of valid documents, including a death certificate.The bank further stated that the individual, “who was in an inebriated condition, became disruptive and later returned with human remains, reportedly exhumed after being buried a few days earlier, placing them in front of the branch and claiming it to be his sister while demanding withdrawal from her account”. It described the situation as “highly distressing” and said local police were immediately informed.Police reached the spot after being alerted by bank staff. The man later removed the remains and reburied them following discussions with officers.Offering its assessment of the episode, the bank said the incident appeared to stem from a lack of awareness about the claim settlement process and the individual’s refusal to accept the procedures explained to him. It added that there was “no case of any harassment” and that its intention was to safeguard the account holder’s money.“The bank is also in continuous coordination with local authorities for issuance of the death certificate. The claim will be settled on priority once the death certificate is submitted,” the statement said.The incident took place around 1pm in Mallipasi village under Patna police station limits in Keonjhar district, and briefly caused panic among bank staff and customers before police intervened.