ChamanLal, 70, of Tahab area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district who died Friday evening was cremated by his Muslim neighbours.
Lal never migrated from Kashmir and preferred to live in his native village.
Lal, who had been working in BSNL was a known figure in his village.
He used to spend his time in the company of his Muslim friends.
Lal and his brother did not leave Tahab in 1990s when majority of the Pandits in Tahab and adjoining villages including Trichal, Tamlahal, Navnagri migrated to Jammu and other places after the eruption of militancy in Kashmir.
The local Muslims organised and performed his last rites and mourned his death as one of their own.
He was cremated at Tahab village.
Amid COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of Muslim villagers participated in his cremation.
The sons and daughter of the deceased Pandit arrived in the village from Jammu and thanked the Muslims for showing so much love and care.
“He was one among us. We arranged everything needed for the cremation,” Muhammad Sultan, an elderly man said. “We have shared joys and sorrows with him and we feel like our own family member has passed away.”
The brother of the deceased Lal said that local Muslims shouldered his coffin and arranged wood for his cremation.