Karnal, Haryana – Rajesh Narwal, father of Lt. Vinay Narwal, who was killed during a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, has lashed out at Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying he will only understand the agony of terrorism if his own child suffers a similar fate.
“He (Asim Munir) will only be able to understand my pain the day someone harms his son or daughter,” Rajesh said in an interview to NDTV.
“If I, an ordinary person, were given a gun to shoot and took his son or daughter, then he would know the pain,” he added.
Lt. Vinay Narwal, who had been married only six days earlier, was killed by terrorists during his honeymoon in Kashmir. He was among 26 tourists targeted in the deadly assault. Rajesh recounted how a gunman approached the couple and shot Vinay at point-blank range.
The loss has left the family shattered.
“I can’t even cry in front of my family. My wife, my parents—they are all broken. But I must stay composed so they feel I am strong. There is no peace of mind. It’s been so many days, and we can’t sleep,” said Rajesh.
“Our minds are in a complete blackout. No one is able to sleep for more than two or three hours.”
Lt. Narwal, who was cremated with full military honours in Karnal, was a rising star in the Indian Navy, having joined through the Services Selection Board (SSB) and quickly risen to the rank of Lieutenant within two years.
Rajesh Narwal shared how deeply the family is affected:
“When we go to the psychiatrist, they prescribe medicines. But there is no cure for this. We develop other ailments. This is how we are,” he said.
“Vinay is always on my mind, 24 hours a day. When I wake up in the morning, he is the first thing I see.”
His comments come days after the US designated The Resistance Front (TRF)—the group behind the attack—as a global terrorist organisation.