Odisha skeleton episode: Patnaik seeks 'humane banking administration', draws Sitharaman's attention
Odisha's former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has called for a more humane banking system after a tribal man exhumed his sister's skeleton to prove her death for a bank withdrawal. He urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to intervene and ensure accountability from the Odisha Grameen Bank. Patnaik condemned the bank's reliance on procedural guidelines, emphasizing that rules should empower, not humiliate, citizens.
- ▪A tribal man, Jeetu Munda, exhumed his sister Kalra Munda's skeleton and carried it 3 km to a bank in Keonjhar district to claim her dues.
- ▪Patnaik wrote to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, demanding accountability and compassionate reform in rural banking.
- ▪The incident, which occurred on April 27, sparked public outrage and drew international media attention.
- ▪Patnaik praised Physics Wallah CEO Alakh Pandey for donating ₹10 lakh to Munda as a humanitarian gesture.
- ▪The state government inquiry found that Munda faced repeated denial of assistance from bank officials despite multiple visits.
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Odisha skeleton episode: Patnaik seeks 'humane banking administration', draws Sitharaman's attentionOdisha skeleton episode: Patnaik seeks 'humane banking administration', draws Sitharaman's attentionPublished on: May 02, 2026 2:02 PM ISTPTIShare viaCopy link Bhubaneswar, BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Saturday sought Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's "compassionate intervention" over an incident in Odisha, where a tribal man exhumed his sister's skeleton and produced it as proof to withdraw money from a rural bank.Odisha skeleton episode: Patnaik seeks 'humane banking administration', draws Sitharaman's attentionPatnaik, in a letter, also urged the Union finance minister to ensure that clear accountability be immediately fixed for this recent incident, which took place in…
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