New Delhi: Prime witness in the Best Bakery case Zaheera Sheikh has approached the National Commission for Women (NCW) with a plea that she be duly protected.

In a letter written in Gujarati sent to the Commission yesterday (Nov 8, 2004), Zaheera has reposed faith in the NCW, saying she was confident that it would understand her suffering.

"It is a brief letter of appeal and she has written that since the Commission has been redressing the problems of women, we can understand her suffering," NCW chairperson Poornima Advani told over telephone from Mumbai.

In the letter sent through her lawyer, Zaheera, who also moved the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) yesterday, has also asked the NCW to ensure that she is duly protected.

Advani said the Commission has taken cognisance of the appeal and would do the needful.

The key witness in the Best Bakery massacre case, Zaheera, who made a shocking turnaround last week accusing social activist Teesta Setalvad and her NGO of "pressurising" her to name innocent persons, is currently housed in an undisclosed location in Ahmedabad under police protection.

Meanwhile, Advani, scheduled to tour the Gujarat capital tomorrow as part of the Commission's series of state visits, is expected to take up the issue during her meetings with the State Government officials, including the Chief Secretary.