Muslims perform last rites of Kashmiri Pandit

Srinagar, Dec 9 (UNI) Hundreds of Muslims performed the last rites of an 85-year-old Kashmiri Pandit, who passed away at Ganderbal, about 30 km from here.

Jiyalal Raina died at Manigam village in Ganderbal district yesterday after a brief illness, reports said.

The 85-year-old Kashmiri Pandit was staying alone in the village after his family and other community members had migrated from the valley after the outbreak of militancy in the late 1980s.

Earlier, there were some 40 Kashmiri Pandit families residing in the area.

As soon as the news of Raina's death spread in the village, hundreds of Muslims from neighbouring areas reached his house and performed the last rites.

Raina and his cousin Rajnath Raina were the only Kashmiri Pandits who stayed back in the village when their other community members decided to migrate from the valley.

UNI