Wife of Indian Navy officer slain in Pahalgam subjected to online harassment
Narwal faced backlash for advocating peace and urging against the expression of hatred towards Muslims and Kashmiris.
Himanshi Narwal, widow of Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal who was killed in the Pahalgam attack on April 22, has been facing abuse on social media for urging people not to be hostile towards Muslims or Kashmiris.
According to NDTV, the couple, who were married days before the Pahalgam attack, were visiting Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) for their honeymoon when the deadly attack left 26 people, including the Navy officer, dead.
Heart-wrenching images of Narwal mourning beside her husband’s body have spread widely on social media.
The terror attack incited a wave of anger online, with some individuals targeting Kashmiris and Muslims. In response, the widow of the navy officer urged the nation to avoid hostility towards Muslims and Kashmiris.
“I want everyone in the country to pray for Vinay, hoping that wherever he is, he has found peace. That’s all I ask,” she expressed. “I also want to address something important. I’ve noticed a growing wave of hatred directed at Muslims and Kashmiris.
We do not want this; all we desire is peace, nothing more,” Narwal stated. She also called for justice for those responsible for the attack.
The call for peace sparked a torrent of abuse aimed at the young woman. While some individuals made offensive comments about her personal life, others expressed that she should be denied her husband’s pension.
Despite the trolling, many rallied in her support and urged authorities to take action. In response to the harassment, India’s National Commission for Women (NCW) stated, “The entire nation is hurt and outraged by this attack.
The way Lieutenant Vinay Narwal’s widow, Himanshi Narwal, is being targeted on social media for her comments is deeply condemnable and tragic. It is completely unacceptable to attack a woman for her opinions or to troll her about her personal life.”
