Daijiworld Media Network - Pahalgam

Pahalgam, Apr 23: Navy lieutenant Vinay Narwal and his wife Himanshi, a school teacher, were among the 26 victims of Tuesday’s terror attack in the scenic Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Navy officials and family members confirmed.

The couple, married just six days earlier on April 16 in Mussoorie, had chosen Kashmir for their honeymoon after visa delays disrupted their plans to visit Switzerland. The attack occurred 48 hours after their arrival in Srinagar.

A haunting image of the couple Lt Narwal lying motionless and Himanshi beside him, still wearing her bridal bangles went viral on social media, sparking shock and sorrow across the country. Himanshi’s maternal aunt Babita confirmed their identity when shown the photograph at their Gurugram home. “Yes, it’s her and her husband,” she said.

According to relatives, Himanshi called her brother Lakshit shortly after the attack to say terrorists had killed her husband. “We were hoping it wasn’t true. But then their pictures appeared on news channels,” Babita said.

The tragedy shattered what relatives described as a ‘perfect union’ of two long-associated families. “Their fathers were close friends. The wedding was finalised in January it was a bond of love and legacy,” said Himanshi’s cousin Manish.

Lt Narwal’s body was flown to Delhi on Tuesday and will be taken to his hometown in Karnal, Haryana. Back at his home, his wedding sherwani still hangs in the wardrobe, and his travel bag from Mussoorie remains half-unpacked silent symbols of a life and journey cut short.