Bhubaneswar/New Delhi, June 23:Odisha Grameen Bank has suspended the branch manager of its Malliposi branch in Keonjhar district, nearly two months after a widely condemned incident in which a tribal man, Jitu Munda, carried his deceased sister’s skeleton to the bank to prove her death and claim funds from her account.
The incident drew nationwide attention and criticism, prompting authorities to review banking procedures and customer service practices, particularly in rural and tribal regions.
Responding to the matter, Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary stated that the Department of Financial Services had taken the issue seriously. The department has directed all 28 Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) across the country to ensure compassionate, transparent, and customer-friendly services, especially for rural, tribal, and other vulnerable communities.
Odisha Grameen Bank clarified that the deceased account holder had not nominated a beneficiary. As a result, legal documentation was required to settle the claim in accordance with banking regulations. Following the intervention of local authorities, the necessary documents were submitted, and ₹19,402 was released to Jitu Munda and the other legal heirs.
The suspension of the branch manager comes amid growing scrutiny of banking practices affecting marginalized communities. The incident has sparked a broader discussion on the need for more accessible and humane procedures for handling claims involving deceased account holders in rural India.
