'Dhananjoy could have been granted clemency'

Bangshidar Chatterjee describes the family as 'living dead' after his son's mercy petition was rejected.

Condemned rapist and murderer Dhananjoy Chatterjee's 70-year-old mother is speechless with grief. Wife Purnima mourns in silence. Father Bangshidar describes the family as the 'living dead' after hearing that President A P J Abdul Kalam had turned down his son's mercy petition.

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The 74-year-old father Bangshidhar Chatterjee said at their home in Bankura district's Chatna village, that he had pinned his hopes on the President, who "being a good man could have granted clemency to Dhananjoy."

"We are now waiting for August 24, (the 21 days required to prepare for an execution). Something may happen even at the last minute," he said.

To a question whether they were thinking of carrying out their threat of taking their own lives, the senior Chatterjee said "God knows, what will happen. We are already the living dead -- do we have anything else to look forward to?"

Bansidar, Bela Rani and Poornima had gone on a dharna on July 21 in front of the Press Club in Bankura stating that they would end their lives if Dhanajoy mounted the gallows for raping and killing schoolgirl Hetal Parekh.

Dhananjoy's father is a priest and his brother, an educated unemployed, offers tution to make ends meet for the family.

Their neighbour Haridas Chatterjee, a teacher, who had helped them to draft the mercy petition to the President said instead of hanging Dhananjoy, a life term could have been given to him.
"Dhanajoy committed a heinous crime. But do we take one life for another?" he asks.

Bankura Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar said that a police picket had been deployed to keep watch on Dhananjoy's family at the village home.

"We are keeping strict watch and will take preventive action if necessary," Kumar said.