Puducherry, Feb 7 (PTI) One more witness turned hostileduring the trial in the Sankararaman murder case today inwhich Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi and junioracharya Vijayendra Saraswathi are the main accused.

A total of five witnesses were examined today when thetrial resumed before the Principal District and Sessions JudgeK Ramasamy. When one of the witnesses examined contradictedthe statements he had given earlier before the police inKancheepuram, the Special Public Prosecutor N Devadossdeclared him as ''hostile''.

Of the 142 witnesses examined so far since thecommencement of the trial here two years ago, as many as 73witnesses have turned hostile. The case was transferred toPuducherry from Tamil Nadu in 2005.

The case was shifted to Puducherry court fromChengalpattu district court by an order of the Supreme Courton a petition filed by Jayendra Saraswati.

Of the 24 accused only six were present during the trialtoday and the absentees included the two seers.

The judge adjourned the hearing to tomorrow. Around tenmore witnesses would be examined during the hearing tomorrow,Devadosss told PTI.

Sankararaman, manager of the Varadararjaperumal temple inKancheepuram, was allegedly murdered on the premises of thetemple on September 3, 2004.