Justice for Saswati Jana

My cousin, Saswati Jana, was so sweet and always stood up for others. She was kind and caring beyond words. She was an honors student in her major, Nutrition. She was never shy to protest about injustice or any type of harassment. She had big dreams to make the world a better place. However, all of that was suddenly ripped away from her.

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 by two men and their accomplice, a woman. The attackers who committed the violent crime against her were construction workers 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 were all found at the scene of the crime with scratches on them from where Saswati had tried to fight back. However, due to the broken system, it has not been easy to obtain justice. It has also since been discovered this was not the group’s first time committing violent crimes like this. Their victims have typically been girls from poor families. The perpetrators have all confessed to the crime, but their contractor has been putting a lot of his own time and resources into making sure they are not charged for this crime. He doesn’t believe their “lives should be ruined” and that they shouldn’t be punished for the brutal murder of an innocent young girl’s life.

We are all still in shock and extremely devastated. No pain compares to this loss. 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. Her mother, father, and sister are so traumatized, and life has been a living nightmare for them every day since. Not only do they have to grieve this huge loss, but they must fight a lengthy battle in a legal system that is often stacked against the victim. What should have been a swift case with an abundance of evidence, has proven to be difficult due to the false politicization given to the crime, the media’s attempt to hide this crime, and covid delays.

Our family wants the perpetrators to be tried in court and brought to justice as soon as possible. This is where we need your help. Saswati always stood up for the right thing and stood up for people who couldn't defend themselves. It's one of the many reasons this loss is even more heartbreaking. I hope people stand up for her the way she had done, countless times for others. We will do everything we can to make sure this case sets a precedent so criminals like this think twice, and no other girl loses her life in such a horrible way. If the criminals get away with this, it will send a message that it is acceptable to commit crimes like this without any punishment. The fear of injustice is unacceptable.

Your donation will be used to help her family in their strenuous legal battle for justice so they do not have to worry about how they will afford adequate legal representation. Rape and murder cases in India have taken numerous years, with many stages in the legal system. We need to ensure that these perpetrators are kept off the streets and held accountable for their heinous crimes. Should there be any remaining funds, they will be donated to victims of violence. As a family, we know nothing will bring Saswati back, but we want to ensure no other family has to suffer such a tragic loss. We will always be fighting for her, and others like her.

Please use the hashtag to help us gain awareness: #JusticeForSaswati

Website for Saswati: JusticeForSaswati.org

Here are her classmates and members of her village protesting for justice. So many people attended. They stated it was because they knew if the roles were reversed she would have been the first to protest for someone else.