After the arrest of two people in connection with the murder of Chandan Gupta, who died of bullet injury during a clash in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj on 26 January, the UP police on Tuesday arrested one more person.

“One of the accused persons in Chandan Gupta murder case – Salman – has been arrested. We have recovered a country-made pistol and two cartridges from him. The arrested accused is a resident of Mohalla Nawab of Kasganj,” Superintendent of Police Piyush Srivastava said on Tuesday.

Earlier, on 31 January, the police had arrested Saleem, the prime accused in the Chandan Gupta murder case. S

Subsequently, on 3 February, one more person, Rahat, was arrested in connection with the killing.

Chandan was shot dead during the communal clashes in Kasganj town after volunteers of organisations like the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Hindu Mahasabha and ABVP, during their ‘Tiranga Yatra’, clashed with members of Muslim community on 26 January . This resulted in heated exchange of words and eventually escalated to firing in which Gupta lost his life.

The administration also cracked the whip on a WhatsApp groups for circulating objectionable and communally inciting messages.

“Police have registered cases under various sections of the IPC against WhatsApp group administrator Ram Singh for posting objectionable and communally inciting messages and pictures, and against group member Ajay Gupta for spreading enmity between people from two communities. A case has been registered against them at Ganjdudwara police station,” District Magistrate RP Singh said.

The DM added that Ram Singh had been arrested while Ajay Gupta was absconding.

The police had got information that some people were posting objectionable and communally inciting messages and pictures on a WhatsApp group. Both, the accused group administrator and member are believed to be the residents of Ganjdudwara.

The killing of Chandan Gupta triggered communal riots and the district was singed with arson and vandalism, leaving some persons injured and property gutted.

As many as 118 people have been arrested in connection with the violence.

(With agency inputs)