A slap to hate mongers. Again. Roshan Lal Mawa, 74, a Kashmiri Pandit, is back on his Srinagar downtown shop after 3 decades selling dates, 5 days ahead of Ramadan. He was fired at by a pistol borne youth in 1990. He survived and today he is back. Others can follow suit. pic.twitter.com/NAzRAixIqw — Mufti Islah (@islahmufti) May 2, 2019

A Kashmiri Pandit has returned to the Valley after almost three decades and has resumed his business in Srinagar’s downtown area.

The man was identified as 70-year-old Roshan Lal Mawa, according to a report in the Hindustan Times. Mawa survived four gunshot wounds that he received on October 13, 1990, during the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley. Following the attack, he had migrated to Delhi and set up his business enterprise in the capital.

On May 1, 2019 Mawa reopened his shop in a commercial locality of Srinagar named Zaina Kadal. He not only received a warm welcome back to his native state but also the ceremony of “dastar bandi” – the practice of tying a white turban on someone’s head as a mark of respect – was performed by other local traders.

“There is no place like your own homeland,” Mawa was quoted as saying. The extraordinary respect people gave me here today; I have no answer to that. This proves Kashmiriyat. We are one blood. People here want Kashmiri Pandits back.”