INDIAN SEDITION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XL, Issue 12540, 11 May 1915, Page 3

INDIAN SEDITION.

PLOT HATCHED IN AMERICA

[By Electkio Teleoraph—Coi-yright.j

(Peb Press Association.) Received May 11. at 10.35 a.m. Delhi, May 10.

I An important prosecution i under the recent Defence- of India Act is progressing at Lahore against 82 persons, alleged to have indulged in a seditious conspiracy against the British Government engineered by Indians returning from America. The origin -of the conspiracy is found in the movement on tiie Pacific coast, directed by one Sal Dyal in the hope that the Administration would be weakened by the war. Emissaries returned to India in considerable numbers and endeavored to otir up trouble mainly in the Puiijaub and the United Provinces. They sought to collect arms and explosives, to circulate- -seditious, literature, to tamper with the troops, and obtain funds by robberies. A series of daeoities and murders has taken place, but owing to the viligance of the police aud the cooperation of the people seizures o" bombs were made, the plans were detected, and the ringleaders were arrested.

Several of tiiose implicated have made a- full confession of the plot, which tailed from the very beginning, because the plotters failed to win the sympathy.of their own people in India. Though the majority of the plotters were Sikhs, the Government had every assistance from the Sikh leaders, who keenly resented the discreditable proceedings. Attempts to persuade Mahommedans to join the revolt failed. There are several Mahommedans among tlie accused.