The image of Himanshi Narwal, wearing the traditional red bangles of a newlywed, sitting in silent, dazed grief by her husband, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, became an instant and powerful public symbol of profound loss.
Just six days after their wedding, on April 22, Vinay Narwal and Himanshi Narwal were on their honeymoon in Pahalgam when the terror attack unfolded. Vinay was held at gunpoint, questioned about his religion and shot to death.
After being given full military honours at the Delhi airport, Vinay’s funeral was held at his hometown in Karnal, Haryana on April 23.
The image of her stoic figure became the haunting face of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed over 20 lives. It was widely circulated and often framed to evoke the suffering of “a newly married Hindu woman” at the hands of “Muslim attackers”, fueling divisive communal narratives in the aftermath of the tragedy.
But things changed after Himanshi later appealed to the country and said “We don't want people going against Muslims or Kashmiris. We want peace and only peace.”
Soon after her statement, the social media tide drastically shifted against her. What began as an emotional plea not to direct hatred toward entire communities for the actions of a few was met with a storm of vicious trolling across social media platforms.
In the days following her statement, comment sections beneath her videos and posts filled rapidly with a toxic mix of hate speech, personal attacks, and communal slurs. Anonymous accounts, visibly associated with the right-wing, hurled accusations at her, labeling her “anti-national,” “sympathizer,” and worse.
Some went as far as to question her patriotism, using deeply misogynistic language that degraded her character and cast doubt on her grief. Others spread misinformation, distorting her words to fit a polarizing narrative, using screenshots and edited clips to fuel outrage.
Many of them were on the lines of how Himanshi has “Muslim friends” and “Muslim followers” on social media. Some even went to the extent of tracking her Google account and trolling her laudatory reviews about establishments with Muslim names. There were also several posts that claimed that she is a “pro-Pak” and “islamist apologist”. Her pictures on social media with her friends, her interactions with them and even her friend lists are being used to slander her.
These posts were not just cruel, they were also violent. Several users threatened her with verbal abuse and mocked her loss. The coordinated nature of the attack is nothing but a deliberate attempt to discredit and silence a woman who had shown tremendous courage in speaking for unity during one of the most vulnerable moments of her life.
NCW, Politicians speak up for Himanshi
In a strongly worded message, the National Commission of Women (NCW) has condemned the aggressive online trolling against Himanshi Narwal, wife of Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
Via social media, the women’s panel has said that “trolling a woman based on her ideological expression or personal life is not acceptable in any form. Any form of agreement or disagreement should always be expressed with civility and within the bounds of constitutional propriety.”
Vijaya Rahatkar, chief of the women’s commission also condemned the attack against Himanshi and said “Perhaps her response did not sit well with the outraged public. However, any form of agreement or disagreement should always be expressed with civility and within the bounds of constitutional decorum.”
“After Lieutenant Vinay Narwal's death, the way his wife, Himanshi Narwal, is being targeted on social media for a remark is extremely condemnable and unfortunate. Targeting a woman for her opinions or trolling her about her personal life is not acceptable at all,” she added.
Several politicians have also come out in support of Himanshi and condemned her online attackers.
Speaking at a political rally on May 4, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President and MP Asaduddin Owaisi said requested people not to politicize her statements. “Himanshi gives a message to those people who live in our country and spread Hindu-Muslim poison. She says that she lost her husband but she doesn't want hatred against Muslims and Kashmiris,” he said.
Rajya Sabha MP Saket Ghokle called the vicious trolling as “shocking”, "obscene" and “hateful.” In his post on X, he tagged the IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and asked “why aren’t these accounts being taken down or blocked?”
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Minister Mehbooba Mufti also came out in support of Himanshi and said “We should draw inspiration from Himanshi Narwal, who, despite the martyrdom of her husband, urged Indians not to blame and target Kashmiris or Muslims.”
India has accused Pakistan for the attack. Islamabad has denied the accusation.
As the relationship between the two countries has reached a fever pitch strain, the terror attack has also been used to propagate tensions between Hindus and Muslims within India. Kashmir muslims across the country are concerned for their own safety after reports of dozens of Kashmiri vendors and students were harassed, vilified, beaten and threatened by right-wing groups.
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