Drug peddling: 2019 Mr Chandigarh runner-up held

Bharat had secured the second place in the 2019 competition.

Rathore has been staying at a rented accommodation in Sector 22 for the last two and a half months. Police said that he has been a gym trainer for a long time and due to Covid restrictions, he was giving online coaching to his followers.

“Bharat Rathore was bringing heroin from his native place Kotakpura through his links there. Further, he used to supply the heroin to some selective students who took coaching of body building and weight lifting from him. We are in the process of identifying the suppliers of heroin. Rathore was sent to judicial custody. Rathore had secured 2nd place in Mr India body building competition held at Sports Complex, Sector 46, in 2019,” Station House Office (SHO) PS 17, Inspector Om Parkash, said.

Sources said that the gym trainer was arrested following a tip off. He had attempted to conceal the narcotics but it was recovered during frisking and subsequent search.

Sources said that Rathore used to provide heroin only to customers who were his confidants. He charged Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 for 1 gram heroin.

Rathore belongs to an agriculturist family. He was trained in body building in various gyms in Chandigarh. He contested in more than a dozen bodybuilding competitions in the region. A case was registered at Sector 17 police station.