Ruchika Murder case: Rathore attacked outside court

CHANDIGARH: Former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, who is convicted in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, was suddenly attacked on Monday with a sharp-edged knife by a youth as he came out of the district court complex here in Sector 17. (  Watch Video  )

68-year-old Rathore was stabbed by the youth identified as Utsav Sharma, a resident of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, in the left cheek. A bleeding Rathore covered the wound with a handkerchief before getting into his car.

While the youth, who was pursuing a course in film production in Ahmedabad, used his left hand to stab the former IPS officer, he delivered punches with his right hand on Rathore’s right cheek.

He also attempted to attack the former DGP on the arm, but the police personnel present there overpowered him and nailed him down as he tried to run in the midst of a commotion outside the court.

The youth was standing among mediapersons and said to be pretending to take pictures of Rathore. The reporters were waiting to talk to him and others after the court proceedings which were held in-camera.

Rathore was taken to Sector 16 Government General Hospital, police sources said.

The youth has been taken to the nearby Sector 17 Police Station.

Rathore was completely taken by surprise by the sudden attack. His lawyer-wife Abha was following him.

A three-day continuous hearing of the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case started in-camera at the district and sessions court here following Rathore’s appeal against his conviction.

The court is hearing two matters, one related to the appeal filed by Rathore against his conviction for molestation by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court and second, the application moved by CBI seeking enhancement of Rathore’s sentence from six months to two years of rigorous imprisonment.

The CBI special court held Rathore guilty Dec 21 for molesting 15-year-old Ruchika, a budding tennis player, in Panchkula town Aug 12, 1990.

He was sentenced to six months’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs.1,000 in the 19-year-old molestation case. Rathore was granted bail immediately after his conviction.

Video

News Source (TOI) :http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Ruchika-case-Rathore-attacked-outside-Chandigarh-court/articleshow/5547879.cms