[Reader-list] When Muslim neighbours helped in a Kashmiri Pandit's last rites

[Aditya Raj Baul]

When Muslim neighbours helped in a Kashmiri Pandit's last rites

http://news.oneindia.in/2010/08/12/whenmuslim-neighbours-helped-in-a-kashmiri-pandits-lastr.html

Srinagar, Aug.12 (ANI): Setting an inspirational example of
brotherhood and communal amity in the ongoing the holy month of
Ramadan, a group of Muslims on Thursday here helped their Hindu
brethrens to perform the last rites of a Kashmiri Hindu.


Somnath Koul, a Kashmiri Pandit, died at about 7:00 a.m.. But in the
absence of enough people to properly perform the last rites, the
Muslim neighbours filled the vacuum.


"This body is of our neighbour who was a Kashmiri Pandit. He died at
around 7 in the morning today (August 12). There were just a few
Pandits in their house, rest of us are all Muslims, so we have
assisted in the performing of all his last rites," said Shahid Muneer,
a Muslim neighbour of Somnath Koul.

Veerjee Koul, son of the deceased Somnath expressed his gratitude to
his Muslim neighbours.

"Muslims have contributed a lot. 90 percent of the people present here
are Muslims. As you have seen how many people were present here. So we
are very thankful to the Muslims," said Veerjee Koul, son of the
deceasd.

It was a rare sight to witness a large number of Muslims making their
presence felt during the last rites of a Hindu.

So much so the Muslims facilitated almost all the arrangements for the
final rituals.

Somnath was a resident of Chanapora region on the outskirts of Srinagar city.

On the onset of turbulence in the Kashmir valley, there was an exodus
of thousands of Kashmiri Pandit families who migrated to other places
of the country.

However, the family members of Somnath decided to stay back in the
valley. By Parvez Bhatt (ANI)