One more arrested for ''goli maro ...'' slogan during Shah''s

Another suspected BJP supporter has been apprehended by the city police for allegedly raising the provocative slogan -- "desh ke gaddaro ko, goli maro..." (shoot the traitors)-- during Union Home Minister Amit Shah's rally here, the sixth arrest in the case, a senior officer said on Wednesday.

Prasanta Sarkar (50), a resident of Ghola of Sodepur in North 24 Parganas district, has been arrested late Tuesday night from his home, the officer said.

"Sarkar was seen in the group of people who were raising the slogan on Sunday. We have arrested him last night. He will be produced before a court today," the IPS officer said.

Like the five other arrested "BJP supporters", Sarkar has been booked for promoting enmity between different groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, criminal intimidation, committing public mischief and common intention, he said.

The Kolkata police arrested Sandeep Sonkar and Sujit Barua in the past two days in connection with the matter after they were identified from a video footage.

Among the three arrested earlier, two -- Pankaj Prasad and Surendra Kumar Tewary -- have been sent to police custody for three days, while Dhruva Basu was granted bail by a city court on Monday on grounds of age and ill health.

The state BJP leadership has been denying the involvement of any party worker in the incident and termed it as the "handiwork of the TMC (Trinamool Congress)".

The men shouted the slogan while they were passing the Maidan Market in downtown Esplanade en route to the rally venue at nearby Shahid Minar ground.

The Union home minister was on a day-long visit to the city on Sunday.

There has been a controversy over raising of such slogans during BJP rallies during Delhi assembly polls and protests in favour of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) due to allegations that they provoke violence.