Chandigarh: Former director general of police S P S Rathore was attacked on Monday by a youth with a knife and was repeatedly punched in the face outside the district court in Chandigarh hearing his appeal in the Ruchika molestation case.

Sixty-eight-year-old Rathore was left bleeding after the youth, who was taking his pictures as he came out of the court, hit him repeatedly on the left cheek.

News television channels identified the attacker as Utsav Sharma hailing from Ahmedabad.

Rathore covered the wound with a handkerchief before boarding his car. The youth was nabbed by security personnel in the midst of commotion outside the court following the attack.

The youth was trying to click pictures of Rathore even as other media persons were waiting to talk with the former DGP and others after the court proceedings, which were held in-camera.

The youth then took out the knife and attacked Rathore on his face and in the arm.