Police were guarding the family members of rape and murder convict Dhananjoy Chatterjee, who had threatened to commit suicide if he was executed.

Dhananjoy's father Bansidhar, mother Bela Rani and wife Poornima had staged a dharna on July 21 in front of the Press Club in Kolkata threatening to end their lives if Dhananjoy was sent to the gallows for raping and killing school girl Hetal Parekh.

"If Dhananjoy is hanged, seven members of his family will commit suicide," the convict's father Bansidhar Chatterjee had warned.

They had tried to go to the Raj Bhavan and meet West Bengal Governor Viren J Shah to appeal for clemency. The police, however, prevented them from doing so and later made them board a bus bound for their village.

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After President A P J Abdul Kalam rejected Dhananjoy's mercy plea on Wednesday, Bankura district Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar told PTI over phone that a police picket had been deployed to keep watch on Dhananjoy's father Bansidhar, mother Bela Rani and wife Poornima at their home in Chatna village.

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