Keonjhar probe finds bank negligence after man carried sister's remains
Synopsis
A tribal man in Odisha's Keonjhar district allegedly had to dig up his sister's grave and carry her skeletal remains to a bank branch just to withdraw ₹19,300 — and a preliminary government probe now confirms bank officials appear to have been negligent. The case has shaken the nation and sparked an uproar in the Odisha Assembly.
Key Takeaways
Jitu Munda of Keonjhar, Odisha allegedly exhumed his deceased sister Kalara Munda's skeletal remains and carried them to the Malliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank on 27 April to withdraw ₹19,300 from her account.
Preliminary probe by RDC (Northern Range) Sangram Keshari Mohapatra points to bank official negligence as the root cause.
The absence of an audio recording facility at the branch means the exact exchange between Jitu Munda and bank staff cannot be fully verified.
Kalara Munda had died in February 2025 ; her death certificate had reportedly not been issued to her brother despite significant time having passed.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered an RDC-level inquiry; the issue also triggered an uproar in the Odisha Assembly during a special session.
Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik said the incident has severely tarnished Odisha's image nationally and internationally.
The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Northern Range), Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, said on Thursday, 30 April that preliminary findings in the Keonjhar district case — where tribal man Jitu Munda was allegedly forced to exhume and carry his deceased sister's skeletal remains to a bank branch — point squarely to negligence on the part of bank officials. The case has triggered nationwide outrage and prompted a high-level administrative investigation in Odisha.
What the Probe Has Found So Far
Mohapatra visited Jitu Munda's residence and the Malliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank on Thursday morning, examining all details surrounding the incident that occurred on 27 April. Speaking to reporters, the RDC said:
Point of View
Combined with a bank that reportedly denied service despite recognising the customer, reflects the lethal convergence of bureaucratic indifference and institutional failure. The fact that Kalara Munda's account had been accessed roughly eight times means bank staff knew the family well — making the alleged denial all the more inexplicable. Odisha has made strides in tribal welfare on paper; this incident exposes the yawning gap between policy intent and ground-level delivery, and the absence of an audio recording system at the branch conveniently shields those responsible from full accountability.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Keonjhar bank incident in Odisha?
Tribal man Jitu Munda allegedly exhumed his deceased sister Kalara Munda's skeletal remains and carried them to the Malliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank on 27 April to withdraw ₹19,300 deposited in her account. He reportedly took this extreme step because bank officials denied him service without proof of his sister's death.
What has the government probe found so far?
Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Northern Range) Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, who visited the bank branch and Jitu Munda's home on 30 April, said preliminary findings indicate bank officials committed negligence. He added that stringent action would be taken against those found responsible.
Why was Kalara Munda's death certificate not issued to her family?
Kalara Munda died in February 2025, but her death certificate had reportedly not been issued to her brother Jitu Munda despite considerable time passing. The RDC said he would examine why this administrative delay occurred, as it may have directly contributed to the situation.
What is the political fallout from the Keonjhar incident?
The case triggered an uproar in the Odisha Assembly during a special session on 30 April, with opposition parties Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress creating a significant ruckus. Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik said the incident has severely tarnished Odisha's image at both national and international levels.
Who ordered the investigation into the Keonjhar bank case?
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered an RDC-level probe into the incident. Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Northern Range) Sangram Keshari Mohapatra was entrusted with the inquiry and began his investigation on 30 April 2025.
