Sikh community members in Punjab's Malerkotla area have donated several acres of land to construct a mosque, an episode highlighting the communal harmony existing in Indian society.

The Sikh community members also participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony for the mosque.

"For years, Muslims in Umerabad and Amargarh areas of Malerkotla had no dedicated place for worship and had been praying in the open. This concerned us all, and the Sikh community decided to step forward and help,” Amarjit Singh, a local Sikh resident, told The Kashmiriyat.

He said the decision to donate the land was taken unanimously within the family.

“The land is worth lakhs of rupees, but not a single family member objected to donating it for a mosque,” he said.

Expressing gratitude for the donation, Mohammed Yasin, a local Muslim resident, told the news portal: “We are deeply thankful to the Sikh community, who have always supported us. This land donation has made it possible for us to have a mosque for the first time in six decades."

He said previously locals had to travel several kilometers to pray in a mosque.