TNI Bureau: Rajya Sabha MP and BJD Parliamentary Party leader Manas Ranjan Mangaraj has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking urgent intervention in the shocking Kendujhar incident where a poor tribal man was forced to dig up his deceased sister’s skeletal remains to claim ₹19,300 from her bank account.

In his letter dated April 28, Mangaraj described the incident as a reflection of the “harsh and often insensitive realities” faced by poor and marginalised citizens while dealing with formal banking systems. He referred to the case of Jitu Munda, a tribal resident of Kendujhar district, who reportedly carried his sister’s skeleton to a bank branch after being asked to produce a death certificate to withdraw the money lying in her account.

Mangaraj acknowledged the banking reforms introduced by the Union Government, including financial inclusion through Jan Dhan Yojana, direct benefit transfers, and digital banking access, but said such incidents expose the painful gap between policy and ground reality.

Calling it not merely a banking issue but a humanitarian one, he urged immediate reforms in rural banking practices, especially for tribals, widows, senior citizens, and people living in remote areas.

He also sought simplified claim procedures for small deposits, compassionate field verification systems, and greater accountability of bank officials handling sensitive cases.
Copies of the letter were also marked to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Chief Secretary Anu Garg for necessary action.