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Valsad an epitome of communal harmony as dead bodies arrive

Families of victims claim terrorism has no religion; Muslims join the last journey of victims as bodies arrive from Amarnath

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Muslims walked with the aggrieved families to the crematorium in solidarity
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Valsad is a restive town in South Gujarat with population a little more than a million. On Tuesday morning, many in the state started their day with the dread and fear of a similar morning 15 years ago in 2002, when pilgrims returning to Gujarat were killed and their mortal remains were awaited. 

But Valsad was unaffected by the inflammatory messages going around on social media calling for revenge of the deaths of pilgrims returning from Amarnath. Through the day, the town remained completely calm and composed, despite announcements by fringe saffron groups of demonstrations against ‘terrorists’. 

Muslim neighbours and groups came out in large numbers for the last journey after the bodies arrived from Surat, without fear and in complete solidarity with the victims’ families. Son of deceased Laxmi Patel, 42-year-old Suresh said, “Muslims in this town are like our family, what happened in Amarnath is not their fault. It was an act of terrorism and terrorists have no religion.”

Valsad residents woke up to heavy police bandobast, which was intimidating for some, but residents confided they appreciated the khakhi’s preemptive presence. A few shopkeepers showed their compassion and condemnation by dressing their mannequins in black.

Superintendent of police, Valsad, Sunil Joshi said they started consulting community members of both the communities on Monday night itself as it became clear that the bodies would be brought to town. “We have been talking to the families of victims and members of all communities to maintain peace in the town. We did detailed planning of how bodies will be taken through the town, so that there are no traffic jams,” Joshi added. 

A local businessman Gafur Shaikh, who attended the last journey of Laxmi Patel, told DNA that a lot of rumours were doing the rounds in the town about communal tension and we have come out especially to dispel them. “We showed our respects to the families. It is a dastardly act of terrorism and we condemn it,” he added. About 15-20 Muslims were seen in the procession. Muslims make up about 10% of the population in this south Gujarat district.   

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