Umaisar Gull Ganie
Kulgam, Mar 09: Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits continued to uphold the age-old bond of brotherhood and communal harmony by jointly performing the last rites of an 84-year-old Kashmir Pandit woman at Kahrote village of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday.
Local sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the elderly Pandit woman, Soni Raina, wife of Badrinath Raina, was suffering from diabetes and passed away today.
The family did not migrate in the 1990s, and she left behind five children.
The local Muslims organized and performed her last rites, mourning her death as one of their own, and arranged wood for the cremation in the village.
Badrinath Raina, husband of the deceased, said, “We have a strong connection with the Muslim community here in our village. The bond of brotherhood between Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits has existed for decades.”
He said that local residents had actively participated in the last rites.
“The Muslims stand by us, and we stand by them always. My wife had been struggling with diabetes, and she lost the battle today,” he said.
Expressing gratitude, he said, “We are thankful to the people who always support us during these challenging times. We have not migrated from our homeland.”
Ghulam Rasool, a local resident, said, “We believe in humanity, and today we have made all the arrangements for our Pandit community.”
He said the importance of Islamic teachings, stating, “Islam teaches us to assist one another, especially in the atmosphere of J&K, where the spirit of brotherhood has thrived for decades.”
He further said, “We promote love, not hatred. Today’s incident serves as a lesson for those who try to sow discord among communities. Instead, we sow the seeds of love.”
Rasool added, “We will continue to support Kashmiri Pandit families as they reside in our hearts.”—(KNO)
