Chandigarh, Feb 8 (PTI) Former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore was today stabbed thrice in the face by a youth with a knife that left him bleeding outside a local court hearing his appeal in the Ruchika molestation case.

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.

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Chandigarh: In a shocking development, former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, convicted in the Ruchika molestation case, was on Monday attacked by a young man outside a court near here.

The disgraced former top cop, who had come to the Panchkula court in connection with his plea challenging six months imprisonment in the case, was attacked with a knife by the young man now identified as Utsav Sharma, aged around 25 years, when he was walking back to his car after the court hearing.
 
According to reports, Rathore has sustained injuries on his face. Images captured by the media showed Rathore being hit and punched on his face and then being attacked with a knife.

The attacker has, as per reports, claimed that he hails from Ahmedabad and was writing a book on the case.

The police claimed that he came near to Rathore posing as a journalist and the motive behind the attack is not clear at the moment.

Rathore has been taken to the Sector 16 General Hospital in Chandigarh for emergency medical care. His condition is said to be stable.

 Earlier in the day, the court had ordered in-camera proceedings on the petition of Rathore challenging his six months' imprisonment in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case.