Dhananjoy Chatterjee

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Dhananjoy Chatterjee (August 14, 1965 in Kuludihi, West Bengal, India - August 14, 2004 at Alipore Central Jail in Calcutta, India) was poor security guard having monthly income US$ 25.00 or Indian Rs. 1,200.00 executed by hanging for the rape and murder of 14-year-old Hetal Parekh on March 5, 1990 at her apartment residence in Bhowanipur.

Chatterjee, whose mercy plea was rejected on August 4, was kept at Alipore for nearly 14 years. The execution was scheduled on June 25, but it was stayed after his family petitioned the Supreme Court of India, and filed a mercy plea with President Abdul Kalam. The family refused to either attend the execution or claim his body; it was later cremated.

The date of Chatterjee's execution was fixed at a high-level meeting at the office of Jail Minister Biswanath Choudhury. This was the first hanging at Alipore since 1993, when murder convicts, Kartik Sil and Sukumar Burman, were hanged. It was the first execution in India since 1995.

[edit] External links

"Dhananjoy may once again appeal to SC" - article in Mid-day dated August 4, 2004
"Dhananjoy to be hanged" - article in the Indian Express dated August 5, 2004 referring to his mercy petition being rejected by the President of India
"Dhananjoy's parents plan last-ditch appeal" - article in sify.com dated August 5, 2004