Friday, April 29 2005 12:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The investigating officer (IO) in the Best Bakery case yesterday (Apr 28, 2005) told a special court in Mumbai that the bakery in Vadodara was attacked on the night of March 1, 2002 at around 21:00 hrs (IST) and the attack continued till the next morning.

IO H G Baria, whose cross-examination before special judge Abhay Thipsay remained inconclusive yesterday, said that as per his investigations and from the statements of witnesses, the Bakery was attacked in the night on March 1 and the persons (inside it) were brought down and attacked with sharp weapons the next morning (on March 2).

However, he admitted that the witnesses had revealed that crowd had marched towards the bakery on March 1 night carrying swords, rods but the people were not carrying 'mashals' (torches).

"The rioters had surrounded the bakery and were raising slogans," Baria added.

His cross-examination would continue today (Apr 29, 2005).

The special court in Mumbai is conducting the re-trial in the Best Bakery case following a Supreme Court directive to hold it in Maharashtra.

Fourteen persons were killed in the attack on the Best Bakery at Vadodara on March 1, 2002 during the post-Godhra riots.