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About Saswati

Saswati Jana was loved by many people. She was only 20 years old and a second-year honors student of Debra College, studying Food & Nutrition. She had a bright future ahead of her. She was so sweet and always stood up for others. She was kind and caring beyond words. She had an abundance of love to give and brought joy to everyone.

The CRIME

On May 3, 2021, Saswati went through an unspeakable nightmare. She lost her life in the hands of three depraved individuals in our own home, in Jamna, Midnapore (Medinipur), West Bengal. She was brutally raped, tortured, and murdered. Her lifeless body was then hidden by two men and their accomplice, a woman.

The attackers who committed the violent crime against her were construction workers. They have been identified as Bikash Murmu from Belda, Chhotu Munda from Jharkhand, and Tapati Patra from Sabang.

These three workers carried out this horrible crime inside an abandoned part of the house, that had been vacant for years. The culprits raped her, tortured her, and then strangled her to death. Afterward, they dumped her bloodied body on the floor. The culprits had scratches on them from where Saswati had tried to fight back.

The post-mortem report confirmed not only the rape, followed by manual strangulation, but also made clear the excruciating damage they did to her. They broke several of her bones including her nose and neck, damaged organs, and severely mutilated and cut up parts of her body. These monsters truly made Saswati’s last moments extremely painful. The organized nature of the crime suggests that these culprits had done this before. The crime took place within an hour. Every aspect of damage that they did to Saswati along with evidence, supports the claim that this diabolical plan was carefully calculated. It is impossible to believe this was their first committing a crime this heinous. Even more chilling to think is that if they roam free, they will do it again.

WHAT DOES THE FAMILY WANT?

We are all still in shock and extremely devastated. No pain compares to this loss. Our village has never experienced anything like this. It is NOT common. It is heartbreaking to imagine how scared Saswati must have felt in her last moments of life. The fact that this rape and murder took place in our own home; a place most of us consider a safe sanctuary, is terrifying.

The heinous crime inflicted on Saswati is impossible to comprehend. The fear of justice not being served is unacceptable. It will not be an easy fight but we will not stop until we get her the justice that she deserves. We will not let her death be in vain.

Our family wants the people involved to be tried in court and brought to justice as soon as possible. This is where we need your help.

The little media coverage this has received has been very local. Further damage was done by sources that twisted the initial news, giving it a false political spin. Neither she nor our family has any political ties. This is not a political or religious issue. As a result of the false spin and lack of coverage, some people are completely denying the rape and murder. Imagine how hurtful this is for us to read after a loss this violent. This is a situation where an innocent girl’s life was brutalized and justice needs to prevail for a safer society for ALL women.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

Due to the power of social media, we are hoping that with your help, this news is spread as much as possible. Please share this website or the hashtag #JusticeForSaswati on whatever platform you can. Our goal is that with enough media coverage that the case gains awareness, and the criminals receive proper punishment. There is also a petition that you can sign to have a further impact. Click Here for the Petition.

The reasons it is so important and helpful to share her story are:

• Through sharing her family may gain access to resources (legal aid, support from NGOs, counseling).
• The case has a possibility of being “fast-tracked” through the court system. Fast-tracked courts are reserved for heinous crimes, such as this one. In the past, another unfortunate rape case was “fast-tracked” due to international media coverage. Even then, it ultimately took 10 years for the family to get justice.

If the criminals receive exemplary punishment, it should act as a deterrent to future crimes against women. This tragic loss should not be forgotten. Nothing will bring her back to us, but we need to ensure accountability and strive toward justice.

Rest In Peace Saswati, wherever you are. We will always fight for you.