Youth arrested after slashing Rathore's face with knife

New Delhi: Former Haryana Director General of Police S.P.S. Rathore, who is convicted in a molestation case, sustained injuries when a youth attacked him with a knife outside a Chandigarh court.

Rathore, 68, was slashed repeatedly on his face by the youth, identified as Ustav Sharma, before he was overpowered and arrested while Rathore was heading towards his car outside Sector 17 District Court complex, accompanied by his lawyer wife Abha.

Rathore rushed to a hospital and is out of danger.

Conviction

Sentenced to serve six months in prison for molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra 19 years ago, Rathore had gone to the court to contest his conviction, while the Central Bureau of Investigation, which has reopened the case, has sought a two-year jail sentence for him.

Ruchika, a budding tennis player, was molested by Rathore who headed the Haryana Tennis Association at that time. She later committed suicide after her family was allegedly harassed by police at Rathore's behest.

Sharma is studying cinematography at Ahmedabad and originally hails from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

The police are convinced that it was a pre-planned attack since Sharma, who posed as a journalist, was carrying a video camera in one hand and a knife in the other hand. Police are trying to find out the motive behind the attack.

Aradhana Prakash Gupta, Ruchika's friend and the lone eyewitness to the molestation incident, termed the attack a manifestation of public anger.

Justice

"For 19 and a half years we have been seeking justice using lawful methods. So I would like to request people if they are outraged, please stay within the law. We should wait for the judiciary to take a decision and nobody should take the law in their own hands.

"This incident is really not appreciated. It seems like an act of public outrage because they are aware of the case and because Rathore is not yet punished," she told television channels.

Rathore was rushed to Sector 16 Civil Hospital with his handkerchief soaked in blood.