PULWAMA,J&K: On Eid day, Muslims at a village in Kashmir’s Pulwama district instead of celebrating, mourned the demise a Hindu neighbour, Ramchand Koul.
Ramchand, a Kashmiri Pandit never migrated from the Valley despite perennial threats and refused to leave the Valley during the militancy-related exodus of 1990.
According to a report published in NDTV, Muslims not only helped his children perform the last rites, but also helped carry the bier to the cremation ground.
The funeral procession took place on Saturday mainly comprises the Muslims.
Ramchand Koul’s son Vinod said he was touched. “I was not expecting this as it was Eid and everyone was busy, but people ignored that and helped with my father’s last rites,” he said.
Koul’s funeral and the social support given to his family by their Muslim neighbours have impressed koul’s relative Lasa Koul very much that he is thinking about a return.
“To help our neighbours irrespective of their religion is our duty which we performed. And, in this case, he was a part of us, we have lost the head of our family,” said Mohammed Akbar who wept inconsolably as if he had lost someone from their own family.
Before Eid-ul-Adha, a three day banned on internet services was imposed by the state government to take avoiding action in an attempt to prevent communal violence after a beef ban a ordered was enforced in the valley.
The bond between the majority Muslims and minority Hindus has grown over the years is not easy to break. It was outcome of the tough times, of facing the difficulties during the decades of militancy, together.
“We stood by our Pandit brothers during militancy. We have protected them like our brothers and we celebrate together and mourn together,” said Ghulam Rasool, Koul’s neighbour.