By The Sampadak Express
On what would have been Indian Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal’s 27th birthday, his widow, Himanshi Narwal, made a moving appeal for peace and communal harmony, days after the young officer was killed in a brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
Lt Narwal was among 26 people gunned down by terrorists at Baisaran in Anantnag district on April 22, just six days after his wedding. He and his wife were on their honeymoon when the tragedy struck.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Himanshi Narwal—who is a PhD scholar from Gurugram—urged the nation to come together in grief, not anger.“
I just want the entire nation to pray for him, that wherever he is, he remains healthy and happy,” she said with tearful eyes. “We don’t want people going against Muslims or Kashmiris. We want peace and only peace. Of course, we want justice, but not hatred.”
To mark what would have been Vinay’s birthday, a blood donation camp was held in his hometown of Karnal, Haryana. Organized by the National Integrated Forum of Artists and Activists, the event was attended by family, friends, and local residents, including BJP MLA Jagmohan Anand.
Narwal’s mother and wife broke down as tributes poured in for the young officer, who was remembered as a cheerful, dedicated serviceman. A speaker at the camp reflected on the irony of the moment: “Terrorists shed the blood of the innocent, but this blood donation camp will help save lives. That is Vinay’s legacy.”
The horrific attack took place in the popular tourist area of Baisaran. According to a widely circulated video taken shortly after the shooting, Himanshi recounted the chilling moment: “I was eating bhel puri and my husband was with me. A person came and asked if he was a Muslim. When he denied, the man shot him dead.”
The couple had married on April 16, and had originally planned a honeymoon in Switzerland. But due to visa delays, they chose Kashmir instead.“
Everything had come together so perfectly,” said Manish, Himanshi’s elder cousin. “Their wedding was finalized in January. Our families go back a long way—Himanshi’s father and Lt Narwal’s father were close friends. It was meant to be a union of love and deep-rooted bonds.”
As the country mourns the loss of yet another brave soul, Himanshi’s message stands out as a poignant call for unity in times of pain: to seek justice without sowing further division.
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