UP: Muslim man arranges cremation of Hindu 'sister'

Rampur (UP), Oct 26: In a heartwarming display of communal harmony, a Muslim man in a village near here made the arrangements for the cremation of a Hindu widow, whom he treated as his sister and had been supporting for a long time.

The unique story is from Moondha Pandey village, about 10 km from here. After the death of her husband, Yashodra Devi had been living in a hut with her mother and son in an extremely pitiable condition in Maualagarh in Moondha Pandey, according to reports in the village.

Moved by her ordeal, Aslam Beg of the same village made Yashodra her 'rakhi sister' and urged her to treat him as her elder brother. Thereafter, Aslam arranged a house for Yashodha's family and even provided her with financial assistance.

For 15 years, the two shared the relationship and participated in each other's festivities, they said. However, yesterday, while Aslam was about to go to Yashodha's house for 'Bhai Dooj', she passed away due to illness.

Yashodha's relatives had planned to cremate her at Maulagarh itself, but Aslam insisted on taking the body to Garhmukteshwar.

Bearing all expenses, Aslam took Yashodha's body and her relatives to the banks of Ganga in Garhmukteshwar and got her last rites performed there.

PTI