The leader of a fringe Hindu right-wing group in India has been arrested after a video of her shooting an effigy of Mahatma Gandhi went viral.

Key points: Pooja Pandey is part of right-wing group Hindu Mahasabha which glorifies the man who assassinated Gandhi

Pooja Pandey is part of right-wing group Hindu Mahasabha which glorifies the man who assassinated Gandhi The shooting video took place during an event the group organised on Gandhi's death anniversary

The shooting video took place during an event the group organised on Gandhi's death anniversary This is not the first time the fringe group has celebrated Gandhi's assassination

Pooja Pandey, the national secretary of Hindu Mahasabha, was arrested with her husband on Wednesday morning, Uttar Pradesh Police Senior Superintendent Aakash Kulhari told the Times of India.

The right-wing group had organised an event in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh to "celebrate" the anniversary of Gandhi's death on January 30, 1948.

In the video, Pooja Pandey shoots the effigy with an air pistol after putting a garland on a picture of Nathuram Godse, who assassinated Gandhi.

The camera pans down to show what looks like blood on the floor beneath the effigy.

The Times reported that police had already made several other arrests in connection with the video.

This is not the first time the controversial fringe group has praised Godse and celebrated Gandhi's assassination.

So why is Gandhi unpopular among right-wing Hindus?

Mahatma Gandhi was the figurehead of the move for Indian independence

Gandhi, who led the campaign against British rule in India, is venerated by many in India who regard him as the Father of the Nation.

But he is unpopular with some right-wing Hindus who accuse him of being too moderate and of being too supportive of Muslims.

Hostility between the two religions flared into bloody inter-ethnic violence during Partition, which saw British India split into modern-day India, and Pakistan.

Gandhi's assassin, Nathuram Godse, was an advocate of right-wing Hindu nationalism and was a member of Hindu Mahasabha and another Hindu nationalist group.

Godse was sentenced to death and, despite calls for mercy from Gandhi's sons, was executed on November 15, 1949.