Chandigarh, Feb 8 (IANS) Former Haryana director general of police S.P.S. Rathore, who is convicted in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, was suddenly attacked Monday with a sharp-edged knife by a youth as he came out of the district court complex here in Sector 17.

The youth was immediately nabbed by police personnel and lawyers accompanying Rathore.

Rathore received a cut on his right cheek and blood, which started coming out of it, was seen falling on his jacket. He was immediately taken away by some lawyers for treatment.

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.