Surinder Singh, 75, of Kakran's Kulgam died yesterday evening. He was living in Kakran since 1946 and was among a few families from the Pandit community living in the Muslim-majority area

The local Muslims organized and performed the last rites of the deceased and mourned his death as one of their own. He was cremated at Kakran.

The local Muslims also shouldered Pandit Ji’s coffin and arranged wood for his cremation.

“We feel we have lost one of our own. He was just like an elder brother and I used to take suggestions from him,”  Bashir, a local told

“We have shared joys and sorrows with him and we feel like our own family member has passed today,” another local said.

“We performed our duty of helping one’s neighbour irrespective of their religion,” said a local, Tariq Ahmad. “We live in brotherhood and harmony. It was our duty to reach out to our Pandit neighbours in their hour of grief.”

Meanwhile, few Kashmiri Pandits who arrived to help his family and local Muslims in the cremation of the deceased expressed gratitude to the local Muslims.

“It is only because of our Muslim brothers that we could fulfill the cremation without any hardship,” they said. “The communal harmony and brotherhood between Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits has always remained an example. Today, the Muslims showed that they love and honour Kashmiri Pandits.”