For Dhananjoy, it finally sinks in

With the Supreme Court dismissing a last-minute mercy plea by his brother, the final countdown has started for Dhananjoy Chatterjee. With ba...

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With the Supreme Court dismissing a last-minute mercy plea by his brother, the final countdown has started for Dhananjoy Chatterjee.

With barely a day left for his hanging at 4.30 a.m. on his birthday tomorrow, the man sentenced to death for raping and murdering schoolgirl Hetal Parekh in 1990 has slipped into deep depression.

Dhananjoy did not have his meal today afternoon, refusing everything except tea, said sources in Alipore Central Jail, where he waits on Death Row. Jail staff and the doctor monitoring his health, however, persuaded him to have some Glucon D.

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At night, he relented and ate—from a special diet prepared by the jail doctor, which entitles him to a slightly better menu than the one for other prisoners.

‘‘All these days, Dhananjoy looked unfazed at the twists and turns of events, with his fate swinging between life and death. He behaved normally, always believing that God will stop his execution. He pleaded not guilty,’’ said R P Bhattacharjee, Additional Inspector General of Prisons (South), who met Dhananjoy at his cell early today.

But this afternoon, he was a different man, quiet and gloomy, not uttering a single word. His favourite possession, a small transistor radio, was also switched off after he heard about the Supreme Court decision in New Delhi.

A five-judge Constitution bench had rejected the petition filed by his brother Bikash Chatterjee, challenging the August 4 order of President A P J Abdul Kalam, rejecting Dhananjoy’s mercy plea.

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Not convinced that the President had rejected the clemency appeal ‘‘without application of mind and that too arbitrarily,’’ the bench termed the plea as ‘‘wholly devoid of merit and liable to be dismissed’’.

	ON THE DAY HE IS HANGED

			VENUE: Alipore Central Jail DATE: August 14 TIME: 4.30 a.m. IN THE WITNESS BOX • 2 doctors, 1 priest, 1 magistrate, Jail Superintendent, IG Prisons, Hangman Nata Mullick & associates, 12 armed policemen THE METHOD • At 4 in the morning, Dhananjoy will be woken up. The jail superintendent will read out the death warrant and officially identify Dhananjoy before handing him over to the hangman. Dhananjoy will be taken to the gallows, where his hands and legs will be strapped and face covered. The priest will read out hymns from the scriptures. The magistrate will issue a signal and Dhananjoy will hang

‘‘It is evident that he has finally given up hope,’’ said Bhattacharjee.

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When asked about reports that Dhananjoy was keen to donate his eyes and kidneys, Bhattacharjee said he ‘‘was not aware of any such move’’.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Jail Minister Biswanath Chowdhury and Judicial Minister Nisith Adhikari told reporters that the ‘‘process of Dhananjoy’s execution is on.’’ After the Supreme Court decision, there is no legal hurdle at the moment, Adhikari added.

The ministers said a PIL has been filed in the Calcutta High Court, seeking mercy for Dhananjoy, with the hearing slated for tomorrow. But they refused to comment if there was any chance of the execution being postponed again.

Meanwhile, a sense of outrage prevailed in Dhananjoy’s village of Kaludihi in Bankura district, about 250 km from Kolkata, after his petition was rejected.

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Residents of the village and its neighbouring settlements have decided to observe August 15 as a ‘‘protest day’’ to condemn the ‘‘cruelty’’ with which the State pursued Dhananjoy’s death.

Sources in the local administration said people in some pockets might even resort to a hunger strike that day to express solidarity with Dhananjoy’s family.

The district superintendent has informed jail authorities that none of his family members will turn up to witness the hanging and receive the body. In case no one turns up, the State will cremate the body, officials said.