Unaware of newly-wed navy officer's death in Pahalgam attack, mother distributes sweets in Karnal

CHANDIGARH: Completely unaware that her only son had been killed by terrorists, Asha Narwal—the mother of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, the young Naval officer slain in Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Pahalgam—was still distributing sweets to neighbours in Karnal city.
“Everyone in Narwal family was so happy after Vinay's marriage,” recalled Naresh Bansal, a close neighbour, his voice trembling and eyes brimming with tears. “The family was even planning a ‘Mata ka Jagran’ next month,” he added.

The 26-year-old officer was shot dead on Tuesday afternoon, but the news reached the family in the evening. Vinay had left for Pahalgam on April 21 with his wife Himanshi, who is pursuing Ph.D, for honeymoon. His grandfather Hawa Singh, a retired cop from Haryana police informed that, the couple had earlier planned to visit Switzerland but after failing to get Visa, they had decided to visit Jammu and Kashmir.

“However, destiny had other plans. We were all so happy, and the family had been celebrating his marriage functions since April 6, when he was engaged in Gurgaon in a grand ceremony. There can be nothing more tragic for a humble family like ours. Had the attackers not carried guns, my grandson would have taken down at least three to four of them. The Prime Minister must teach Pakistan a lesson,” Hawa Singh added. The young Naval officer was posted at the Naval Training Command in Kochi, Kerala.
Raghbir Singh, also Vinay’s grandfather and Hawa Singh’s brother, said the family was informed by the SHO of Madhuban police station and officials from the SP office in Karnal. The entire village of Bhusali—10 km from Karnal—was in deep shock, having recently celebrated Vinay's marriage at a resort on Kunjpura Road in Karnal. Vinay's family resides in Sector-7, Karnal.
He said the family had been eagerly planning Vinay’s wedding ever since he passed out from the Naval Academy in Ezhimala, Kerala, as a Sub-Lieutenant two years ago. Vinay had joined the Navy three years back after completing his engineering degree from a college in Sonepat.
The couple had a destination wedding on April 16 in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, followed by a reception in Karnal. On April 21, they left for Jammu and Kashmir and had planned to visit the Vaishno Devi temple on April 23.
Vinay’s mother, Asha, is a homemaker, and his father, Rajesh Narwal, is a superintendent in the GST department. His father-in-law, Sunil Swami, is also a senior officer in the Excise and Taxation Department, Haryana. Besides his parents and wife, Vinay is survived by his younger sister, Shristi, who is currently pursuing her studies. His parents and sister brought his body back from Srinagar via Delhi on a flight.
According to initial reports, Vinay was shot in the chest, neck, and left arm and was declared brought dead at the hospital.