Bhubaneswar: Rajasthan Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena on Wednesday described the Keonjhar incident—where a tribal man allegedly carried his sister’s skeletal remains to a bank after being asked to produce a death certificate and legal heir documents for the release of her savings—as a “blot on a civilised society.” He also announced that he would donate one month’s salary to the victim’s family.
The incident took place in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, where Jitu Munda reportedly brought his sister’s remains to the Odisha Gramin Bank branch as proof of death in order to withdraw funds.
A video of the incident, showing Munda leaving the bank premises with the skeletal remains, has since gone viral on social media.
Sharing the video on X, Meena expressed anguish over the incident, stating that Munda’s “helplessness and pain” deeply moved him. He said that harassing a poor tribal man in the name of procedural requirements is unacceptable in a civilised society.
जीतू मुंडा का दर्द मेरा दर्द है, उनकी पीड़ा मेरी पीड़ा है। मेरा कर्तव्य है कि संकट की इस घड़ी में मैं उनके साथ खड़ा रहूं। मैं अपना एक माह का वेतन उनके परिवार को समर्पित करूंगा। शीघ्र ही उन तक राशि पहुंच जाएगी। यह हम सबका दायित्व है कि भविष्य में वे स्वयं को असहाय न समझें।
2/2— Dr. Kirodi Lal Meena (@DrKirodilalBJP) April 29, 2026
The minister also called for strict action against those responsible and urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to intervene in the matter.
“I strongly urge that immediate and stringent action be taken in this matter,” Meena said.
Expressing solidarity with the victim’s family, he added, “Jitu Munda’s pain is my pain. It is my duty to stand with him in this difficult time. I will donate one month’s salary to his family, and the amount will be transferred soon.”
He further stressed the need for systemic accountability, stating that it is a collective responsibility to ensure such incidents are not repeated and that vulnerable individuals are not subjected to undue hardship.
