Muzaffarnagar: Jails surely can be cesspool of devious emotions, for the simple fact that it is were seasoned criminals are housed. The situation of a jail in violence-torn, communally divided Muzaffarnagar can be imagined then.

But, in an incident that eloquently teaches a lesson of ‘peace and love’ loud and clear, Hindu and Muslim inmates of Muzaffarnagar jail have been observing Roza over the last few days, upholding respect for one another.

All in all 101 Hindu inmates, including a woman, of Muzaffarnagar jail observed Ramzan fast with their 1,064 Muslim brethren on Wednesday.

Jail Superintendent Rakesh Singh said that when a few Hindu prisoners had approached him seeking permission for the fast, they readily agreed as the authority thought that it would strengthen the bond between the inmates of two religions which are often at loggerhead.

“Further, several Muslim inmates had observed nine days of fast during Navratris,” he said adding that even Holi was celebrated by all the inmates irrespective of religious differences. On the first day of Ramazan, 65 Hindus had observed the fast and the number rose to 101 on Wednesday, he said.

The administration had made special arrangements for ‘Iftar’ (evening meal to break the fast). The Muzaffarnagar district had witnessed wide-spread riots in 2013. At least 62 people were killed during the clashes and 93 were left injured. More than 5,000 people were displaced.