India Odisha GNP: The Odisha Gramin Bank in India has issued a clarification regarding an unusual incident, stating that bank staff never requested the physical presence of any deceased customer. According to the bank, the incident occurred due to a lack of awareness about procedures and the unusual behavior of an individual.
The bank administration rejected media reports circulating about the incident at one of its branches, stating that certain reports had misrepresented the facts.
In an official statement, the bank said the incident took place on April 27, 2026, at the Maliposi branch located in the Patna block of Keonjhar district. The clarification emphasized that bank staff did not, under any circumstances, ask for a deceased customer to be physically presented in order to withdraw money.
According to the statement, a man named Jitu Munda visited the branch for the first time and requested to withdraw money from the account of his sister, Klara Munda. As per banking regulations, a third party cannot withdraw funds without proper authorization. When questioned, the man informed the staff that the account holder had passed away.
The branch manager explained that in such cases, it is mandatory to provide proper legal documentation, particularly a death certificate, in order to process the claim.
The bank further stated that the individual appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. He created a disturbance and later returned carrying human remains, claiming they were the body of his sister, which had been exhumed after burial a few days earlier. He placed the remains in front of the branch and demanded withdrawal of funds, creating a highly distressing and disturbing situation.
Following the incident, local police were immediately informed and arrived at the scene to take control of the situation.
The bank clarified that the incident resulted from a lack of understanding of the claim settlement process and the individual’s refusal to comply with established rules and regulations. The statement added that the bank’s objective was to ensure the protection of the funds belonging to a poor tribal woman, and there was no element of harassment involved.
It was further stated that the bank is in continuous contact with local authorities to facilitate the issuance of the death certificate. Once the required documents are provided, the claim will be processed on a priority basis.
