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The case On the night of March 1, 2002, two days after the Godhra carnage, a mob attacked Best Bakery in Vadodara8217;s Hanuman Tekri. Its target: the Muslims hiding inside, including the Sheikh family, which ran the bakery. Fourteen people, including two children, died in the violence that followed, burnt or hacked to death. The bodies of two people were never found; forensic tests confirmed that burnt bones recovered from the site belonged to more than one person.

March 2, 2002
8216;8216;Jayanti chaiwala, Mahesh Munna, Thakker ke do ladke were leading the mob. There were shouts of 8216;Kill them, kill the Muslims, burn their houses8217;. We ran towards the terrace, some 20 of us. The mob was hurling petrol bombs at us8230; threatening to rape us8230; My mama, my sister Shabira and my mama8217;s children, Zainab and Shabnam twins, were burnt alive8230; In all, 14 people were burnt and killed. My chacha8217;s entire family and a sister were burnt alive. All the attackers were from the mohalla.8217;8217;
Zaheera Sheikh to the media

March 1, 2003
8216;8216;I have really struggled a lot this year to get justice. I have been mis-treated. I won8217;t marry till I get justice. I have kept those clothes8230; those burnt and bloodied clothes as a reminder.8217;8217;
Zaheera to The Indian Express

May 9, 2003
8216;8216;I don8217;t know what the mob was doing below. We were scared, hiding. I couldn8217;t see anything as it was dark and there was smoke all around.8217;8217;
Sehrunissa in Vadodara trial court

May 17, 2003
8216;8216;As the mob gathered, I ran upstairs with my family. I was very scared, so I hid myself. I don8217;t know what the mob was doing below. No, I had not gone to make a complaint. The police took my statement and signature. My statements of March 9 and April 1, 2002, to the police are false. It was dark, full of smoke8230; I can8217;t recall anyone.8217;8217;
Zaheera in Vadodara trial court

July 6, 2003
8216;8216;Kaanpte kaanpte jhooth bola tha court mein. We were alone and under threat. No one came to help us. If supported, I am willing to speak the truth.8217;8217;
Sehrunissa to The Indian Express

July 8, 2003
8216;8216;Our lives were under threat. BJP MLA Madhu Shrivastava and his Congress cousin Chandrakant Bhattu threatened us. Madhu was even present in court during my submission.8217;8217;
Zaheera at a press conference in Mumbai

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November 3, 2004
8216;8216;What I said in the local court was true. We were made to lie all this while by Teesta Setalvad. She pressured me to name the accused through our community people. What I said about Madhu Shrivastava and Bhattu is not true. I am ready to repeat in any other court what I said in the Vadodara trial court.8217;8217;
Zaheera at a Vadodara press conference

December 21, 2004
8216;8216;I cannot identify the accused. I do not remember who all were present as it was dark with smoke all around. I did not meet BJP MLA Madhu Shrivastava at the Vadodara court during my deposition.8217;8217;
Zaheera at a Mumbai sessions court

Compiled by Abhishek Kapoor