Savitri Prasad, aka Glorie, 48 years, of Zeelugt South, East Bank, Essequibo, left home about 15:30hrs two Fridays ago, to gather her herd of goats and sheep grazing in the backlands of her area, when she met her fatal death.

The widow and mother of three children, shepherded her flock, her main source of income, around the Boerasirie area where perhaps the grass is green and luscious and water is bountiful to quench the animals' thirst. It was probably routine for her to take her herd there to graze and bring them home at a particular hour. However, on this fatal day, this poor, harmless woman on her normal schedule to bring her flock home, met a tragic death. She was pounced upon by attacker/s who rained chops across her eyes, head, hands and feet.

As if inflicting several chops mercilessly about her body was not enough, it was also reported that she was raped and then thrown into the Boerasirie Creek.When their mother didn't come home at the usual time with her herd, and seeing some of the animals coming home before her, her two younger children became suspicious. They then informed their eldest sister Geeta who lives in Uitvlugt, two villages away and their grandparents of De Kinderen.

After reporting their mother missing to the Leonora Police Station, a party launched a desperate search to find the victim, Savitri, until one o'clock in the morning, when all attempts were futile and the search was given up.The search party continued the next morning in their bid to find the shepherdess when the appalling news came from the police that her body was discovered in the creek. There were violent marks about her body, as it appeared that she put up a desperate struggle to ward off her attacker/s.

What was most evident is that Savitri wasn't a victim of robbery, because her two gold rings were left next to a pair of slippers and a red flag she normally used to guide her goats and sheep safely home across the busy highway from their grazing ground. Why would anyone want to sexually and violently abuse a quiet, harmless, hardworking woman whose only means of livelihood for her and her two daughters was rearing goats and sheep? The culprit/s didn't want her animals either, they wanted to defame her and maybe she knew them, that's why they decided to murder her and dispose of her body in the creek.

The fate this woman bore during this beastly act is spine-chilling, repulsive and angers the inner core of one's soul. Women are generally the pillar to their family foundation and when their lives are cut short in this gruesome manner, the memories are indelible, the hurt and sufferings relatives endure are too much to overcome. She was a bastion like other simple, humble women who try honestly to make a living, as well as aiding in the development of agriculture by rearing livestock.Women and men must come out and denounce crime against other innocent women, young girls and boys and even men. A person who goes about his/her peaceful business should not be molested by potentially dangerous men. 

The police used tracker dogs to find Savitri, but it was too late. She was already dead. They must continue in their endeavour to find her killer/s and also those who killed 18-year-old Anita Persaud of Mahaicony, 14-year-old Taigwan Singh, and 60-year-old Bhalo Singh of Lima, Essequibo and other innocent persons who were murdered. Savitri Prasad, a woman of determination and through dint of hard work, became vulnerable to an attack of rape and murder. She didn't deserve to die this way. Her demise was premeditated, and all in authority should make every effort to bring the mastermind of this heinous plot, to justice. Our women's lives are precious to their children and this nation.

Savitri is left to mourn her three daughters, grandchildren, parents, relatives and her community. Mirror women's page would like to offer its sincere condolences to her three children and other relatives.