Himanshi Narwal, widow of Indian Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal who was killed in the 22 April Pahalgam incident, is facing vicious trolling online after appealing for peace and unity.
At a blood donation camp held on 1 May—her late husband's birthday—Himanshi urged people not to target Muslims and Kashmiris, saying, “We want peace and only peace… those responsible should be punished.”
Her plea, widely circulated by news agencies, sparked a wave of hateful and baseless allegations on social media. Trolls accused her of wanting to grab property and compensation, and even suggested links to terrorists.
One user linked to the BJP ally Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) called her the “mind-washed face of Indian secularism.”
Indian publication The Quint found images of the user with LJP insignia and Chirag Paswan, but received no immediate response from the party.
Another Pahalgam victim's daughter, Arathy Menon, also faced abuse after acknowledging the help she received from local Kashmiris.
Despite the trolling, support poured in for Himanshi. Lalitha Ramdas, wife of the late Admiral L Ramdas, praised her as the “perfect fauji wife” for upholding secular and constitutional values.
