The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday instructed the Keonjhar collector and the Superintendent of Police (SP) to investigate the circumstances that compelled Jitu Munda to exhume his sister’s skeletal remains and present them to the Odisha Grameen Bank as evidence of her death. This directive follows a petition submitted by Manoj Jena, wherein the NHRC noted that the incident underscored a severe violation of Munda’s human rights, as he endured significant psychological and emotional distress.

The commission also indicated that the actions of the bank officials constituted a serious infringement of the rights of the deceased. “This case violates the fundamental right to live with human dignity to its very core,” the NHRC stated, mandating the district collector and the SP to carry out an investigation and submit their findings within one week. Additionally, the chairman of the Odisha Grameen Bank was instructed to take appropriate measures and provide an action taken report within the same timeframe.