SRINAGAR: Just days into her marriage, 26-year-old Himanshi Narwal found herself a widow, her husband, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, killed in a brutal terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Amid unimaginable grief, Himanshi chose not to call for revenge or retribution. Instead, she made a plea to the nation for peace and an end to hatred toward Muslims and Kashmiris.
But her message of unity, spoken through tears, was met with vicious trolling online. Accused by some of being “pro-Muslim” and “pro-Kashmir,” Himanshi became the target of social media abuse, with a few even outrageously blaming her for her husband’s death.
Now, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has come out strongly in her support, calling the trolling “extremely reprehensible and unfortunate.” In a statement issued on Thursday, the NCW said, “Trolling a woman based on her ideological expression or personal life is not acceptable in any form.”
The commission urged citizens to maintain dignity even in disagreement, emphasising that any expression, whether of support, opposition or grief, must remain within the bounds of constitutional decency. “The National Commission for Women is committed to protect the dignity and respect of every woman,” the statement added.
On April 22, the newlywed couple, just days into their honeymoon, were caught in the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. Himanshi’s husband, Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, was reportedly asked about his religion before being shot dead at point-blank range.
“I just want the entire nation to pray for him (Vinay) that wherever he is, he is at peace. That’s the only thing I want,” Himanshi said, while talking to reporters at a blood donation event in memory of her husband. “There is one more thing I want, there should be no hatred towards anyone. We are seeing this happening, people are spewing hate at Muslims or Kashmiris. We do not want this. We want peace and only peace.”
Her statement struck a chord with many across India, but it also triggered a wave of hateful comments on social media. Anonymous users dug up college documents, distorted her past, and hurled abuse at a woman still in mourning. “It’s her fault he died,” one user wrote. Others accused her of sympathising with the attackers simply for urging against collective blame.
Born and raised in Gurugram, Himanshi married Vinay Narwal, a promising young Navy officer from Karnal, on April 16. The couple’s wedding reception was held on April 19, and the newlyweds left for Kashmir soon after.
Vinay, who hailed from Bhusli village in Haryana’s Karnal district, had joined the Navy three years ago after completing his engineering from Sonepat. His father works in the Excise Department, his grandfather is a retired police officer, and the family had only recently moved into the city.
At the time of the attack, relatives were still distributing wedding sweets. A neighbour recalled, “We were planning a Mata Ka Jagran for next month. And now, we are lighting the pyre.”
His cremation was held at Karnal’s Model Town cremation ground on April 24, amid tears, tributes, and disbelief.
The attack, which has left the entire nation shaken, has sparked outrage against Pakistan and calls for stronger counterterrorism responses. But even in this national moment of grief, the backlash against a young widow’s call for peace has raised serious concerns about online discourse and growing intolerance.
The NCW’s statement was not just about defending one woman’s voice but about drawing a line against abuse that increasingly follows public grief, especially when it calls for compassion. “We all are hurt and angry,” the Commission said, “but anger must not become blind cruelty.”
