Tral, May 20: Hundreds of Muslims and Sikhs on Wednesday participated in the last rites of an elderly Kashmiri Pandit woman in Midora village of Tral in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, reflecting the enduring inter-community ties in the area.

The woman passed away at her ancestral village, where her family had continued to live despite the onset of militancy in Kashmir, unlike many Pandit families who migrated from the Valley during that period.
Her death drew widespread grief in Midora, where she was known and respected across communities, locals said.
Locals said Muslims and Sikhs from the village and adjoining areas visited the bereaved family to express condolences and share in their grief. Hundreds joined the funeral proceedings and last rites, extending support to the family during the mourning period.
They added that community members arranged wood required for the last rites and remained present with the family throughout the funeral rituals.
The participation of Muslims and Sikhs in the funeral was seen by many in the village as a reflection of long-standing social bonds and mutual respect that have continued despite difficult periods witnessed in Kashmir over the decades.
The family, according to locals, had remained in the village over the years and maintained close ties with neighbors belonging to different communities.
The funeral witnessed an outpouring of sympathy, with mourners recalling the elderly woman as widely respected in the village.