Woman journalist allegedly attacked by Gujarat riots convict

Ahmedabad, Jan 21: A former television journalist was allegedly attacked by a convict in the 2002 Naroda Patiya riot case, who was out on parole, when she went to meet him regarding a book she is writing.

The city crime branch has arrested the attacker, Suresh Chhara, who had been awarded life sentence by a court for his role in the attack on minority community in Naroda Patiya area on February 28, 2002 during the Gujarat riots in which 96 people were killed.

The incident ocurrred last evening, the victim, Revati Laul, claimed, adding she had given a police complaint regarding it. "We have arrested Chhara for assault on former journalist and some other cases," crime branch ACP Rahul Patel told PTI. Laul said, "I was attacked by 2002 Naroda Patiya attack convict Suresh Chhara, who is out on parole, when I went their to meet him regarding my book yesterday evening.

"Actually, I know the family of Chhara as I have been working on a book for the last one year. He and his wife had issues and they are living separately. His wife had filed a rape complaint against Chhara. This incident happened during his earlier parole.

I had helped his wife in getting a lawyer," Laul said. "So yesterday as he had again come out on parole for finding his missing daughter, I met him, where he attacked me without any provocation when I asked some question," she alleged. "I was not hurt much as others present their intervened," she said.

PTI