Gorakhpur, June 13: To-day three more prosecution witness and 14 more accused were examined including Shyam Sundar who is alleged to have played a leading part in Non-Co-operation activities and in the Chaura riot. He stated that he was a volunteer and he used to enlist volunteers. He went to the first Dumri Sabha in which Hakim Arif (a local non-co-operator) was also present. The accused did not join any Chaura riot. He went to Prayag to bathe in the holy water of the Ganges. Having received the news of his maternal uncle’s illness he returned to the village Pratapgarh where his maternal uncle lived. Soon after, his maternal uncle died and he was arrested there. On being asked the reason why the witness implicated him in the riot, the accused alleged enmity with Sardar Harcharan Singh Shaikari and Thakur (approvers). He told a long story as to how the enmity arose between him and the 2 approvers. The bone of contention was that Shyam Sundar who stood for Congress and used to collect subscription in its name did not allow Shaikari and Thakur to collect subscriptions in the name of Khilafat. As to the remaining witnesses who implicated him in the riot he said that they identified him because they all saw him in the first Dumri Sabha.
