In an appeal marked by profound indignation, BJD leader Naveen Patnaik has called for the "compassionate intervention" of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman following a truly harrowing incident in Odisha. The case, which has drawn international attention, involved a tribal man from Keonjhar district who felt compelled to exhume his sister’s skeleton and carry it to a rural bank simply to prove she was dead and withdraw his rightful funds.
Writing with what he described as "deep anguish," the five-time former Chief Minister urged Sitharaman to fix immediate accountability for the lapse at the Malliposi branch of the Odisha Grameen Bank. Patnaik argued that such an intervention would serve as a necessary wake-up call to rural banks across India, ensuring they prioritise empathy and citizen-centric service over rigid bureaucracy.
The details of the ordeal are as grim as they are heartbreaking. Jeetu Munda’s sister, Kalra, passed away in January. According to Munda, he made numerous unsuccessful trips to the bank to resolve his claim but was met with nothing but confusion and a lack of assistance. Driven to desperation, he eventually dug up his sister's remains and walked three kilometres to the bank to present the skeletal evidence to officials. A video of this desperate act has since circulated widely on social media, sparking national outrage.
Patnaik was particularly scathing about the bank’s reaction to the incident. He criticised the institution for attempting to hide behind RBI guidelines to justify what he termed "inhuman conduct." In his letter, Patnaik reminded the Finance Minister that in a functioning democracy, rules should empower the public rather than humiliate them. He noted that while this may be an isolated case, it highlights the desperate need for a more humane banking administration, particularly in remote and tribal regions where the digital and procedural divide is most felt.
In a brighter turn amidst the controversy, Patnaik also took the time to praise Alakh Pandey, the founder and CEO of Physics Wallah, who stepped in to support Munda with a donation of ₹10 lakh. Describing Pandey’s gesture as a "beacon of humanity," Patnaik thanked him for his generosity in the face of a tragedy that has shaken the collective conscience of the state. Pandey, in turn, expressed his humility, stating that standing with humanity during such testing times is the very least one can do.
Also read: Tribal man carries sister’s skeleton to bank in Keonjhar
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