13 Hindu Mahasabha leaders booked for firing at Mahatma Gandhi’s effigy

Lucknow: The police on Wednesday registered cases against 13 persons, including a woman leader of Hindu Mahasabha, in Aligarh for firing at an effigy of Mahatma Gandhi with an air pistol, a senior police official said.

“Today on the occasion of the 71st death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, workers of Hindu Mahasabha fired at the effigy of Mahatma Gandhi. 

“The incident took place in a house in Naurangabad locality of the city. Later, the video of the event went viral on social media,” senior superintendent of police of Aligarh Akash Kulhary said.

After the video went viral, a case was registered against 13 persons associated with Hindu  Mahasabha including Pooja Shakun Pandey, a woman leader, the SSP said, adding no arrests have been made so far. The police are conducting raids to nab the accused persons. 

Puja Shakun Pandey, the national secretary of the Hindutva organisation, distributed sweets to commemorate the assassination. 

Godse had shot Gandhi dead in Delhi on January 30, 1948. The day is observed as Martyrs’ Day. 

The Hindutva outfit has held Gandhi responsible for India’s partition. 

Eight people, including Nathuram Godse, faced trial in court in connection with the Mahatma Gandhi murder case. Out of the five remaining accused, three of them — Gopal Godse, Madanlal Pahwa and Vishnu Ramakrishna — were sentenced to life imprisonment, while two of them — Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte — were sentenced to death. Godse was hanged to death on 15 November 1949 at Ambala jail.

Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation on Wednesday in paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his 71st death anniversary.