Lt Vinay Narwal cremated with full military honours
Tears flowed freely, and silence spoke louder than words as the mortal remains of Navy officer Lt Vinay Narwal (26), who was killed in a terror attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir on Tuesday, were consigned to the flames with full military honours at the Model Town cremation ground in Karnal on late Wednesday evening.
Lieutenant Narwal was on his honeymoon when bullets shattered the peace of Baisaran in the Valley.
The air was thick with sorrow as Lieutenant Narwal's Tricolour-draped coffin arrived to the farewell tune of the Naval band. A sea of humanity from the region descended on Karnal to pay their tributes to the young officer.
Lieutenant Narwal's wife Himanshi, married just a week ago, clung to her husband’s body, reluctantly letting go with a final kiss and a tight embrace. Standing as a symbol of strength with her family, the emotions ran raw and deep. Choking with grief, she broke into a powerful lament: "Lt Vinay Narwal amar rahe". Echoing the intensity of the sentiment, the crowds chanted ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’, ‘Vinay Narwal Amar Rahe’, 'Pakistan murdabad'.
Equally shattered was Vinay’s younger sister Srishti, but she could be seen consoling her father Rajesh Narwal, and Himanshi. Srishti, along with her father, lit the pyre.
Among those present were Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan, former Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, Karnal MLA Jagmohan Anand, and Mayor Renu Bala Gupta, besides prominent people of the region, Navy officials, family members, friends, neighbours, and dignitaries.
Born in Bhusali village of Karnal district, and residing in Sector 7 of the city, Lieutenant Narwal had completed his schooling from Karnal before pursuing engineering in Sonepat. Driven by a deep sense of duty and patriotism, he joined the Navy three years ago as Second Lieutenant, and was later promoted as Lieutenant.
Earlier, CM Saini and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar spoke to Lieutenant Narwal's grandfather Hawa Singh Narwal over video calls, assuring him of the unwavering support of the state and Union governments and promising “strict action” against those involved in the terror act.
"The country has lost a brave son. This barbaric attack on innocent citizens is not just a crime against the nation, but an assault on humanity itself,” said Khattar.
A broken Hawa Singh demanded strict action against those involved in the barbaric act.
“Lt Narwal was a brave son of the soil. His sacrifice will never be forgotten,” said the Speaker. Paying his condolences, MLA Anand said, “The entire nation stands with the family.”
Meanwhile, residents of Karnal have demanded the status of a ‘martyr’ for Lt Narwal.
'Want death for those who killed my brother'
As the sun set over Karnal, and the smoke of the pyre curled into the sky, there was both grief and anger among the family members. Lt Narwal's younger sister, Srishti, sought death for those involved in her brother’s brutal killing. “My brother was killed because he was not a Muslim. Nobody came to his help. He was battling for life for one and a half hours. I want death for those who killed my brother,” she said.
