Srinagar Feb 15: Keeping up with their tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood, Kashmiri Muslims once on Monday once again performed the last rites of a Hindu neighbour namely Rakesh Kumar Sharma in the Maisuma area of Srinagar City.

According to the local shopkeeper Mohammad Jabbar the deceased had been living in Kashmir for more than three decades. The Muslim neighbourhood helped his family members to perform the last rites
Locals said that Rakesh died on Sunday-Monday Intervening night and on Monday morning he was cremated with honour. Muslim neighbours performed his last rites as per Hindu religion.
“The neighbours mostly Muslims remained in his house for the whole day, night, arranged tea, and food etc. for the bereaved family. They (Muslims) remained with us and shared our grief equally,” said Rashep Kumar, a relative of the deceased.

“Neighbouring Muslim women also bid a tearful adieu to him. Our Muslim neighbours stayed with us till the last rites were completed. How can we ignore or forget this” he said.

The local Muslims said that they have been living as brothers in the area with all the members of the minority communities and would do so in future with the minorities living here in Kashmir.

“We care, love and help each other here. We will help them whenever needed. The Hindus living here are our brothers, our brotherhood will remain in future too” locals added.

This is the third incident in which Muslim majority neighbours helped in the cremation of Hindu members in the same area.

In early January, Muslims had helped in the cremation of a Sikh carpenter from Punjab who had died in Ganderbal and in Early May, an elderly Kashmiri Hindu man was cremated by Muslim neighbours after his family members failed to come from Jammu and Delhi due to lockdown. (CNS)