Belthangady MLA Harish Poonja released on station bail after inquiry in two cases
Belthangady: Legislator Harish Poonja, who had surrendered to the Belthangady Police on Wednesday night, was released on station bail a couple of hours later, after he submitted to police inquiry in connection to two cases against him.
Belthangady Police had registered a case against Poonja on May 19 for creating ruckus at the police station the previous night over the arrest of BJP Yuva Morcha president Shashiraj Shetty in an illegal quarrying case. A second case had been booked against the MLA on May 21 for having staged a protest without permission outside the Vikasa Soudha in Belthangady on May 20, opposing Shetty’s arrest.
The Belthangady Police officers visited Poonja’s residence in town on Wednesday for a questioning in the cases. As a safety measure, policemen were placed outside the house throughout the day.
A large number of BJP activists, including Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and BJP MLAs, who suspected the arrest of the MLA, also gathered outside Poonja’s house and raised slogans against the Karnataka government. Poonja’s advocate Shambhu Sharma asked the police to issue a notice for the legislator to attend the inquiry.
Belthangady Police sent two notices to Poonja on Wednesday evening, summoning him for inquiry in the cases, after which, the legislator visited the police station with BJP District President Satish Kumpala and other leaders of the party. Post-inquiry, Poonja was released on station bail, the police officers have said.
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Tribal man brings dead sister's skeleton to bank to withdraw money from her account
Keonjhar (PTI): A tribal man in Odisha's Keonjhar district on Monday brought the skeleton of his dead sister to a bank to withdraw the money deposited in her name, police said.
The incident occurred at Maliposi branch of Odisha Grameen Bank located at Patana block of Keonjhar district. The man was identified as Jeetu Munda (50) of Dianali village. He was seeking to withdraw Rs 20,000 from the bank account of his elder sister, Kalra Munda (56), who died on January 26, 2026.
"I have run several times to the bank, and the people there told me to bring the account holder to withdraw money deposited in her name. Though I told them that she had died, they did not listen to me and insisted on bringing her to the bank. Therefore, out of frustration, I dug the grave and brought out her skeleton as proof of her death," an illiterate Jeetu Munda told reporters.
Patana Police Station Inspector in charge (IIC) Kiran Prasad Sahu, who reached the bank after getting information, said, "Jeetu is an illiterate tribal man. He does not know what the legal heir or nominee is. The bank officials have failed to make him understand the procedure to withdraw money from the dead person's account."
However, after the incident, the police assured Jeetu Munda that they would facilitate the withdrawal of money from the bank account of his dead sister. Later, the skeleton was again buried at the graveyard in presence of police.
Meanwhile, local Block Development Officer (BDO) Manas Dandpat said that he was not approached by anyone for the legal heir of late Kalra Munda. "Today only, I came to know about it. We will see what can be done to resolve the issue," the BDO said.
Meanwhile, bank sources said that the nominee in Kalra Munda's bank account was also dead. Therefore, Jeetu Munda was the lone claimant over the money deposited in her name.
The local administration has directed the bank officers to make arrangements and ensure that Jeetu Munda, who is the only claimant as per the rules, gets the money as soon as possible.
