“We don’t want people going after Muslims and Kashmiris,” Himanshi Narwal, the wife of Naval officer Lt. Vinay Narwal, stated this firmly on Thursday as she mourned her husband, who was tragically gunned down in Pahalgam just 10 days ago. Lt. Narwal would have turned 27 today.
A week after his ashes were immersed in the Ganga, hundreds of people gathered in Karnal, Lt. Narwal’s hometown, to celebrate his life by taking part in a blood donation camp.
Himanshi, who had married Lt. Narwal just a week before the April 22 terror attack, said “We want peace and justice. People who have done wrong with him should be punished.”
The couple had been on their honeymoon in Pahalgam when terrorists attacked and killed Lt. Narwal at point-blank range.
Amid tears, Himanshi and Narwal’s mother paid their respects to the late officer. Himanshi wiped away her tears, offering flowers and blowing a kiss to his photograph. Narwal’s mother also kissed her son’s photo, honoring his memory. Lt. Narwal’s sister, Shristi, expressed gratitude toward those who traveled from afar to donate blood in his honor.
"I want to thank everyone who travelled from far to come here to donate blood. We have been receiving messages too. People have responded enthusiastically (to the blood donation camp). The government has also done a lot," Shristi said.
The blood donation camp, organised by Karnal-based NGO National Integrated Forum of Artists and Activists (NIFAA), became a platform for remembering
Lt. Narwal’s dedication to the nation. Pritpal Singh Pannu, Chairperson of NIFAA, said, “A youth who was supposed to serve the country for many years was snatched away by terrorism. A soldier on the battle ground saves people's life by shedding blood. We are today donating blood in his honour to save people's lives.”
As tributes were paid to Lt. Narwal, both his mother and wife were visibly emotional. One of the blood donors remarked, “The nation will always be grateful to Narwal for his sacrifice. We can only pay our tribute by donating blood, but no one can fill the void created by his death.” BJP MLA Jagmohan Anand also attended the event.
Narwal was among the 26 people, mostly tourists, gunned down by terrorists at the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam on April 22, in one of the worst terror attacks on civilians in Kashmir in the past many years.
Narwal had been serving at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi for the past one-and-a-half years after joining the Navy in 2022.
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