Seek justice, don’t spew hate: Slain navy officer’s wife

KARNAL: Navy officer Lt Vinay Narwal's wife Himanshi, whose forlorn figure next to her slain husband's body became the face of the tragedy wrought by Pakistan-backed terrorists in J&K's Pahalgam on April 22, appealed Thursday for people to refrain from spewing hatred and seeking reprisal against any particular community.

"We don't want people going after Muslims or Kashmiris. We only want peace right now. Of course, we want justice, but the govt must take precise steps against specifically those who did us wrong. They must be punished strictly," Himanshi said during a blood donation camp in Haryana's Karnal on would have been the naval officer's 27th birthday celebration.

"I just want the entire nation to pray for him (Lt Vinay) so that he is at peace," she said. Lt Vinay and Himanshi had been married for just over two weeks and were on their honeymoon when terrorists struck, profiling tourists based on their religion and shooting them dead in Pahalgam's Baisaran meadow. Of the 26 victims, 25 were visitors.

Lt Vinay's sister Shristi thanked the blood donors who turned up at the commemorative event. Some of them, including a couple from Bengaluru, had flown down from other states to pay tribute to the slain officer.

Preetpal Singh Pannu, president of National Integrated Forum for Artists and Activists, which was part of the initiative, said the best way to show solidarity with Lt Vinay's wife and family was to be part of something they believed in.

Haryana tourism minister Arvind Sharma, who attended the event, said it was time to "bury terrorism and terrorists".