If it weren’t the Sikhs, Kashmiri students and traders would have a very different story to narrate. Hundreds of Kashmiris reached home safely due to the efforts extended by the members of the Sikh community in the aftermath of Pulwama attack that killed 49 CRPF personnel.

Kashmiri Muslims were trying to escape vigilante mobs after protests erupted against the community. Hotels in Agra put up notices reading -- ‘Kashmiris are not allowed hare for stay,’ and ‘We are Indian, veer suputro ko shradhanjali (homage to our brave sons).

After violence started across North India against Kashmiris, Sikhs stepped in to help.

International humanitarian organisation Khalsa Aid, local Gurdwaras and members from the Sikh community gave food, protection and shelter to stranded Kashmiris and helped them reach their homes.

A cartoon depicting Sikh extending a helping hand to a drowning Kashmiri became an instant hit.

Sardar means a leader and they lead by example. Hats off to them for being everywhere to help the humanity. @Khalsa_Aid #kashmirisindistress #kashmir pic.twitter.com/H6kUfIVlzk — Suhail Naqshbandi (@hailsuhail) February 20, 2019

Cartoonist Suhail Naqashbandi tweeted: “Sardar means a leader and they lead by example. Hats off for being everywhere to help.” It was shared multiples times on Twitter.

To express gratitude, hundreds took to the internet.

Appreciations,❤ n respect being paid to the Sikh community from #Kashmir. Discount on shopping, free admissions,free coaching, free gifts n what not.

Request every Kashmiri to donate wholeheartedly 4 @Khalsa_Aid international who r always there to help irrespective.#pulwama — Firdous Shah (@shah__firdous) February 21, 2019

Kashmir is indebted to our Sikh Comunity Khalsa Aid & sm gud souls who hv com frwd to help Kashmiris stuck in other States and wr in dire need of help post Pulwama Attack

Salutes to you all 🙌#HumanityStillExists#ThankYouFromKashmir@Shehla_Rashid @SagrikaKissu @KangriCarrier — Ali Irfan (@AliIrfan_09) February 20, 2019

Sikhs always stand against tyranny, oppression and discrimination.

Thank you @Khalsa_Aid, @amarpreet1313 and @RaviSinghKA, alongside local Gurdwaras and local Sikhs, for exemplifying this after #Pulwama.

🙏🏽💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/0l8G571CCm — Jaskaran Sandhu (@jaysingh_01) February 21, 2019

Thanks to Sikh community who are helping Kashmiris to save them from #HinduRadicals pic.twitter.com/xmOOcxQYUL — Capt. Kumar [कमांडो] (@BhaiModi) February 19, 2019

Sikh community helping kashmiri students outside kashmir#Brotherhood #Thank. you From Kashmir — Show kat Rashid (@showkatrashid88) February 19, 2019

@OmarAbdullah

Well, we have to glad that in India sikh community we have with Thier kindness n helping hands.

In this there is not party involved to thank them.@khalsa_aid always supportive in any disaster in India with there helping hands towards peoples.

🙏 — Saurabh Vashishta (@nowsaurabh) February 21, 2019

A big gratitude to our Sikh brotherhood and their debonair community who stood in these precarious situations to lend a helping hand. Their efforts can't be quantified to mention them but appreciated.@Khalsa_Aid 👍 — Masroor Shafi (@masroorshafi99) February 20, 2019

Javed Parsa, a Srinagar-based restaurant owner, was among the stranded Kashmiris. He recounted his experience and thanked Khalsa Aid. He said that the kindness showed by Sikhs, “fixed my heart, restored my faith in humanity.”

Sikhs guarding one of the college in Punjab at night. Sikhs in groups went from college to college in Punjab to look for Kashmiri students and help them out following mob attacks on Kashmiris at many places. pic.twitter.com/nHbq1bfrjI — Muhammad Raafi' (@MohammadRaafi) February 19, 2019

Many Kashmiris recounted how members of the Sikh community stood guard outside universities and colleges to prevent vigilante mobs from entering the campus.