Man Carries Sister's Skeleton to Bank After Failing to Withdraw Her Savings

A man in Odisha turned up at a bank with his sister’s skeletal remains after repeated attempts to withdraw her savings ended in bureaucracy and frustration.

The 52-year-old, Jitu Munda, carried the remains of his 56-year-old sister, Kalara, to the rural branch in Keonjhar district this week. She had worked as a daily wage labourer, sold her livestock months earlier and had deposited about 19,300 rupees in the account she left behind.

Munda’s video—who filmed it is unclear—went viral and set off a national outcry. He says he brought the remains to prove she had died after being unable to access the small sum. Police say he exhumed the body to take it to the bank.

The bank pushed back. Officials said staff never demanded the physical presence of the deceased and that only legally required documents were requested. The bank also alleged Munda first arrived in an “inebriated state” and was disruptive; Munda disagrees and says he was simply desperate. The branch manager, Sushant Kumar Sethi, disputed parts of Munda’s account and said others had come forward to claim the funds.

This is where the everyday cruelty of paperwork shows up. If an account holder dies without naming a nominee, families must produce a death certificate and proof of legal heirship before money can be released—a process that can be slow and baffling for people in remote villages. Many people criticized both local authorities and the bank for not helping Munda navigate that process sooner.

Officials stepped in after the outrage. The Keonjhar district administration said it was “deeply concerned,” and Odisha’s Revenue Minister, Suresh Pujari, announced an investigation and possible action against the branch manager. Police persuaded Munda to return the remains to the burial ground; officials later issued a death certificate and legal heir documents. The bank says the money has since been handed to the family, and authorities offered Munda 30,000 rupees in assistance.

The story is grim and awkward for everyone involved, but it lands a clear lesson: when bureaucracy insists on paperwork, people sometimes try dramatic workarounds. The fix is boring—better access to documents and clearer help from banks—but the reminder is sharp: get your affairs in order now, so the living don’t have to stage a scene fit for a dark comedy. Keep your paperwork up to date, and let the skeletons stay where they belong.