Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, aged 26, was stationed in Kochi and had gone to Kashmir for a brief vacation following his wedding on 16 April.
A devastated newly-married woman sitting numb beside the lifeless body of her husband has become the face of the ghastly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam where 26 innocent tourists were shot dead by terrorists on Tuesday.
While the attack sent shockwaves around the country and the world, the heartbreaking picture went viral on social media. Further information about the victim in the picture is even more devastating.
The body seen on the ground was that of 26-year-old Vinay Narwal, an Indian Navy officer hailing from Karnal in Haryana. He got married just 7 days ago, and while on leave, he chose to go to Kashmir for a short vacation.
Defence officials have confirmed that a 26-year-old Navy officer, recently posted in Kochi, lost his life during a short vacation in Kashmir following his wedding on 16 April. His wedding reception had taken place on 19 April.
The officer, Narwal, had joined the Indian Navy just two years ago. His untimely death has deeply affected his family, local community, and the defence fraternity. Many neighbours and acquaintances expressed their sorrow, describing Narwal as a promising young officer with a bright future ahead of him.
One of his neighbours, Naresh Bansal, shared with ANI, “He was married just four days ago. Everyone was joyous. We have now heard that he was killed by terrorists and died on the spot. He was serving as an officer in the Navy.”
The attack, which targeted tourists in the Pahalgam area of Anantnag district, has provoked widespread outrage across the country. Political leaders have strongly condemned the violence.
In response, people across Jammu and Kashmir held candlelight marches to express solidarity and protest against the attack. These gatherings took place in Baramulla, Srinagar, Poonch, Kupwara, and the Khod village in the Akhoor region. In Jammu, Bajrang Dal members also organised a protest.
According to a statement from the office of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, five tourists from Maharashtra were also killed in the Pahalgam attack.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night and arrived in India on Wednesday morning. He also condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam and said those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice.
Home Minister Amit Shah is also in Jammu and Kashmir to hold a security review meeting with all agencies and forces.
“Anguished by the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. My thoughts are with the family members of the deceased. Those involved in this dastardly act of terror will not be spared, and we will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences,” he wrote in a post on X
