Keonjhar: Preliminary findings of an official probe into the disturbing incident of a tribal man carrying his sister’s skeletal remains to a bank in Keonjhar district indicate that bank staff “did not cooperate” with him, a senior official said.
The Odisha government ordered an inquiry after a video showing 50-year-old Jitu Munda taking his sister’s remains to the Maliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank went viral, triggering widespread outrage.
Acting on the directions of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Northern Division, initiated a probe into the matter.
RDC Sangram Keshari Mohapatra, accompanied by Keonjhar Collector Vishal Singh and other officials, visited the bank branch on Thursday. The team examined CCTV footage and questioned staff to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Officials also visited Dianali village under Patana block and recorded the statement of Jitu Munda, who had carried the remains of his 56-year-old sister, Karla Munda, to the bank while seeking to withdraw money from her account.
Mohapatra said initial findings suggest lapses on the part of the bank. “Munda and his sister had visited the branch earlier and conducted transactions. He is not illiterate, but unaware of formal banking procedures,” he told reporters.
He added that while CCTV footage confirmed Munda’s presence inside the bank for over 30 minutes — during which he met the branch manager twice — the absence of audio made it difficult to determine the exact nature of the interaction. “He left the bank visibly distressed,” the RDC noted.
Earlier, the sponsoring bank, Indian Overseas Bank, had attributed the incident to a lack of awareness about claim settlement procedures and alleged reluctance on the part of the individual to follow due process.
Meanwhile, political reactions intensified. A Congress delegation led by Niranjan Patnaik met Munda, while Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das demanded financial assistance of ₹10 lakh for the family.
A fact-finding team of the Biju Janata Dal also visited the village and called for a judicial probe.
The state government has extended immediate financial assistance of ₹30,000 to Munda. Officials confirmed that he has since been able to withdraw funds from his deceased sister’s account.
The inquiry is ongoing, and authorities have indicated that strict action will follow if lapses are established.
