'Mentally unstable' man arrested with blade at Kerry's hotel

A "mentally unstable" man, son of a retired senior Navy officer, was arrested last night for carrying a blade and misbehaving with security personnel at a high-security five-star hotel, where US Secretary of State John Kerry was staying.
53-year-old Uday Ratra, a resident of Gurdaspur in Punjab, was detained when he picked up a fight with the security personnel.
He was booked under IPC sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 386 (extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt) after had a scuffle with the police and the hotel's security staff, who objected to his loitering in the lobby last evening, police said.

"He is mentally unstable. He was roaming around in the lobby of the hotel. The hotel security staff knew him as in the past too he had tried to enter the premises when foreign dignitaries were visiting," a senior police official said.
When Ratra was asked to leave the hotel premises, he started quarrelling with the hotel security staff, the official said.
"The hotel staff informed Sarojini Nagar police station and the police rushed to the spot and apprehended him before he could create further trouble.

"He was not aware of Kerry's presence. It is a coincidence that he came to the hotel on the day. When he was searched, a blade was found on him," added the official.

He was sent to jail under relevant section of Delhi Police Act.
Police said the man has a history of creating nuisance when foreign dignitaries are here.
"Even the US Embassy had informed us in advance on August 1 that he might create nuisance. The Canadian Embassy had also written about him once," the officer said.
Police said he was a habitual offender and has been arrested in the past on similar charges.
Ratra was deported from the UK for allegedly stalking some residents there.
Kerry, who was on a three-day visit, yesterday postponed his departure from India by at least two days. US officials said the visit has been extended to enable Kerry to travel to China for G-20 Summit this weekend.