Woman in India arrested for recreating Gandhi’s assassination

The Police in India has arrested Hindu Mahasabha leader Pooja Pandey and her husband Ashok Pandey from Tappal, Uttar Pradesh, for recreating the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary on January 30.

The Hindu Mahasabha had organized an event to "celebrate" the 71st anniversary of Gandhi's assassination.

In the video that went viral, Pooja Pandey garlands a picture of Nathuram Godse, the man who shot Gandhi and then shoots the effigy with an air rifle.

The right-wing leader and her husband were produced before a local court today (February 6).

Pandey had been on the run following increasing calls for her arrest.

Two police teams were deployed to track Pandey and her husband, who also features prominently in the video.

They had already made several other arrests in connection with the video which was shot on 30 January - the day Gandhi was killed.

"No regrets. We have not committed any crime. We have used our Constitutional right", Pooja Pandey told media outside the court.

Earlier, three people were arrested after a video of a Hindu fringe group's workers shooting an effigy of Mahatma Gandhi with an air pistol went viral.

According to reports, Pandey had also distributed sweets among her supporters and fellow Mahasabha members.

Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has always celebrated Gandhi's death anniversary as 'Shaurya Divas' or Martyr's Day, but they have never gone to the extent of shooting at an effigy of the Mahatma in celebration.

Godse, who shot Gandhi in the chest three times at point-blank range on 30 January 1948, was an activist with nationalist right-wing groups, including the Hindu Mahasabha.

This is not the first time that the controversial fringe group has tried to glorify Godse and celebrate Gandhi's assassination.

In 2015, the group announced plans to install statues of Godse across six districts in the southern state of Karnataka, sparking protests across the state.