Muslim neighbours perform last rites of elderly Pandit in Pulwama

PULWAMA — The Muslim neighbours in Tahab locality of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district performed the last rites of an elderly Kashmiri Pandit on Saturday.

Pandit Makhan Lal (70) breathed his last at his home in Tahab area on Friday late night, plunging the whole locality in mourning.

Soon after the news of his death spread, the local Muslims made special arrangements to perform his last rites. They also ferried firewood to cremate the deceased.

“It is in our Islam to take care of our neighbours irrespective of their religion,” Zubair, a local resident said. He said that his family members were in Jammu and it is their duty to perform his last rites.

Makhan Lal was a retired employee in BSNL and died after brief illness. He is survived by three daughters and two sons.

Notably, Makhan Lal was the maternal uncle of Chief Medical Officer Pulwama, Dr Ramesh Mall.

Pandit families who are residing in Tahab locality did not migrate from Kashmir valley during the early 1990’s and instead decided to stay put. Since then, the two communities have lived in the locality in harmony and have always shown compassion to each other.