In India, a man unearthed his sister’s body and transported it to a financial institution’s office to gain access to the deceased’s bank balance.
A man was arrested in India for bringing his sister’s body to a bank branch / © Reuters
An inhabitant of an Indian village carried his sibling’s corpse to a bank, after exhuming the body beforehand, aiming to demonstrate her demise, subsequent to being consistently denied the funds without her physical appearance.
This is according to a report by dailymail.com.
Man in India excavates sister’s corpse to verify her death
The event transpired at a branch of the Odisha Grameen Bank situated in the town of Maliposi, located within the Keonjhar district, in the eastern Indian province of Odisha.
TV channels displayed images of a man bearing what seemed to be a cadaver, partially concealed in plastic, with visible skeletal limbs, resting on his shoulders.
“This resulted in an extremely stressful atmosphere within the branch,” the bank stated.
A man carries his sister’s body / © Daily Mail
An individual identified as Jeet Munda had been endeavoring for several weeks to withdraw approximately 19,300 Indian rupees (equivalent to roughly 9,000 hryvnias – ed.) from the account belonging to his elder sister, Kalra Munda, who passed away in January after a prolonged ailment.
He claimed he was repeatedly informed that he was required to present the account holder personally, despite his explanation that she had already died.
As per accounts, bank personnel informed Jeet that before the funds could be dispensed, he needed to furnish official documentation, such as a certificate of death.
Nonetheless, he purportedly struggled to comprehend the procedure and neglected to supply the required paperwork.
In a state of desperation, he visited the village burial ground on Monday, April 27, exhumed his sister’s remains, enveloped the body in fabric, and traveled approximately 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) to the bank.
Upon reaching the location, he positioned the remains at the branch entrance, which elicited shock among staff and patrons and necessitated a police presence.
Law enforcement agents from the Patana police station promptly arrived at the scene.
The man was uneducated and did not grasp the bank’s regulations.
Police indicated that Jitu, an impoverished farmer hailing from the Dianali tribe, lacked understanding of banking protocols and the lawful process for extracting funds from the account of a departed relative.
One of the officers commented, “He is an unlettered tribal man and lacks knowledge regarding legal successors or designated beneficiaries,” further stating that the bank’s personnel failed to adequately articulate the necessary actions.
Bank stance
The bank refutes the presented version of events, asserting that personnel did not demand the deceased’s physical attendance.
In its declaration, Odisha Grameen Bank conveyed that Jit was instructed to furnish documents such as a death certificate, in accordance with standard protocol.
Bank representatives also alleged that he was inebriated and unruly before returning with the human remains, characterizing the event as a consequence of unfamiliarity and a reluctance to adhere to procedures.
The bank further stated that the matter has been addressed subsequent to the authorities issuing the required paperwork and the funds being disbursed to the lawful inheritors.
Man clarifies rationale for exhuming sister’s remains
Jitu Munda informed local journalists: “Driven by desperation, I exhumed the grave and brought her remains as confirmation of death.”
Subsequently, officials intervened in the situation and assured Jeeta that the matter would be resolved, and the funds would be distributed in accordance with the established process.
The remains were subsequently reinterred under the supervision of the police.
Registration of births and deaths is compulsory in India, however, gaps in documentation still exist, especially in rural regions, leaving numerous families without authorized certificates.