Keonjhar: A preliminary probe by Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Northern Division, Sangram Keshari Mohapatra has pointed to possible negligence by staff at the Mallipasi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank which allegedly forced a tribal man to carry his deceased sister’s skeleton as a proof of death to withdraw her money.
Mohapatra, who met district officials in Keonjhar on Wednesday evening, along with Keonjhar Collector Vishal Singh and other officials, visited the bank this morning. He checked the CCTV footage and questioned the bank officials to ascertain the circumstances leading to the incident. He later visited Dianali village and questioned Jitu Munda, whose viral clip carrying the skeletal remains of his sister on April 27 sparked national outrage.
Fifty-year-old Jitu of Dianali village under Patana block was forced to exhume the skeletal remains of his sister after bank officials allegedly refused to release the money without proper documentation. He then trekked 4 km with it to the bank as proof of her death. Though the matter was later resolved, with the bank settling the claim amount of Rs 19,402 in the name of three legal heirs and the district administration providing additional support of around Rs 30,000 from the District Red Cross Fund, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi also ordered an administrative probe to determine how the situation arose and to prevent any recurrence.
The probe found that the bank staff may have failed to cooperate with him during the process. Jitu and his late sister had visited the bank multiple times in the past for transactions. CCTV footage also confirmed that he spent over 30 minutes at the branch on the day of the incident and met the manager twice. The absence of audio, however, made it difficult to determine the exact interaction between him and the bank staff, the PTI reported.
The tribal man, who had no death certificate or succession papers, had returned distressed after not being able to understand the complex process. “I have run several times to the bank, and the people there told me to bring the account holder to withdraw money deposited in her name. Though I told them that she had died, they did not listen to me and insisted on bringing her to the bank. Therefore, out of frustration, I dug the grave and brought out her skeleton as proof of her death,” an illiterate Jitu had earlier told reporters.
His sister, Karla Munda, held an account at the bank where she had deposited money after selling her oxen. However, she died two months ago. Her husband and only child died earlier, leaving Jitu as her sole surviving relative.
Indian Overseas Bank, however, had earlier denied that its officials had demanded the physical presence of the deceased for claim settlement. “We have already issued a clarification note in our social media platform clarifying the facts that the individual was at inebriated state and incident has 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,” it posted on X.
