On 1st March, the body of a woman identified as Congress worker Himani Narwal was found in a suitcase in the Sampla police station area of Rohtak District in Haryana. Notably, Narwal had participated in Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Her mother, Savita, has levelled serious allegations while speaking to the media. She said that someone from the Congress Party could have killed her daughter as there was rivalry that arose from within.
In her statement, Himani’s mother stated that her daughter risked her life for the Congress Party. She had put her education aside and had been working for the party for the past 10 years. “But in the end, it was the party and elections that took her life. Her rivalry, which arose from within, became the cause of her demise,” she said.
When asked if she suspected anyone, she said, “I suspect the people she was always with, those from the party gatherings. Who else could it be?”
She further suggested that her daughter had confided in her that enmity stemmed from within the party itself, as her associates could not “accept how she had progressed at such a young age.” Himani’s mother told the media that she last spoke to her on the night of 27th February after she returned to Delhi from Rohtak.
Himani had told her that there was an event the next day, on 28th February, and she might not be able to attend her calls. She had assured her mother that she would call back once she was home, but there was no contact between them on the 28th. When her mother tried calling her, the phone was switched off.
She added that she had high hopes for her daughter. “If my daughter doesn’t get justice, I will not perform her last rites. I demand justice,” Himani’s mother added.
Speaking about the investigation, she told the media that the police said they were investigating the case. She questioned how a crime like this could happen at a time when local body elections were taking place in the state.
Himani’s mother also accused Congress leaders of not reaching out to her. She said, “Neither has anyone visited our home nor contacted us over the phone.” She told the media that Himani was very close to Asha Hooda, wife of Congress MP Deepinder Hooda.
In another statement, Himani’s mother said that everyone at the party office, including Asha Hooda and MP Hooda himself knew that there was enmity against her within the party. She said, “She was sticking out like a sore thumb for a few people, right after Rahul Gandhi’s padayatra. Some people wondered how she could advance so quickly despite being young. Asha Hooda knew this, Batra Sahab and even Hooda Sahab knew this. Everyone knew this. She used to work till 2 am during elections. They did not come to us even once today. I called up Asha Hooda (wife of Bhupinder Singh Hooda) but she did not receive the call.”
‘No one came to meet us’ – Himani’s brother calls out Congress leaders for not reaching out
Himani’s brother, Jatin, spoke to the media about the incident. He said that the colony where Himani lived had a lot of CCTV cameras. The suitcase in which Himani’s body was found was from their house. He said, “If the administration wanted to catch the culprits, they would have done so by now. I believe the administration is not cooperating.”
He further echoed his mother’s statement that someone from within the Congress Party could have killed her. He said there were people jealous of her as she rose quickly through the ranks within the party.
Jatin also accused Congress leaders of not reaching out to him or his mother. He said, “My mother called Asha Hooda herself, but no one picked up the call. Only two women from the Congress Party came last night. No one else has come forward to meet us or called.”
BJP leader assured truth will come out
Haryana Minister Anik Vij said, “The allegations are serious. The people of Congress have done this before as well. Pushing others back to make progress is an old habit of Congress. The police are investigating this. Whatever truth comes out, it will be taken to its conclusion.”
Congress leaders demanded swift investigation
Speaking to media, Congress leader and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda said, “It is a very painful incident. There is a breakdown of law & order in Haryana. Haryana is number one in the country in terms of crime against women. The incident should be investigated as soon as possible. I am in touch with Police personnel, I also spoke with SP. They are hopeful that they would get some clues by the evening. I told them that this should be investigated and the guilty should be given the strictest punishment. Whoever it is, if they are guilty, they are guilty. Be it someone in the party or outside, they guilty should be given strictest punishment. I had no event on 28th Feb, I had gone to Chandigarh.”
Congress MP Deepender Hooda said, “This has shaken the people of not just Haryana but the entire country. Once more, an example of failure of law & order is coming out of Haryana. We demand that an SIT be formed immediately and there be a high-level investigation. The culprits should be brought to light, and the family of the deceased should get justice. We will fight all possible fights for justice. We will continue to raise our voices until the deceased’s family gets justice. No guilty should be spared.”
Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “All our leaders have demanded from the government that there should be an immediate and impartial investigation so that the truth comes out as to how our Congress worker was brutally murdered. This is a very horrific incident. We hope that the government will take immediate action.”
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said, “This should be known better by the Haryana Minister but if there is any political involvement, it should be investigated. We also demand that the case should be investigated properly.”
Police investigating case from many angles
Speaking to media, investigating officer SI Narender says, “FSL team was called once the body was found, and they collected all the needed evidence from the site. The body was identified, and the postmortem will be done. The evidence that we have and the report that will come, we will take further action after corroborating both facts. We have lodged a case of murder based on what we saw prima facie… Family members (of the deceased) have told us that she was a Congress worker and was studying Law. We are looking at the case from many angles, but we will take action as the evidence and reports suggest to us.”
One of the Eyewitnesses, who is a street vendor spoke to ANI and said, “It was around 11 am when I saw the body of a girl in a suitcase. A crowd had gathered here. Police too came here. They brought the body out, it was wrapped in a blanket.”
Another eyewitness told ANI that the dead body was wrapped in a blanket when it was taken out of the suitcase. She said, “I had come from Rajasthan when I saw a crowd here. It must be a 20-22-year-old girl. Her body was wrapped in a blanket and kept in the suitcase. Her ‘chunni’ was lying at the spot.”
Further investigation in the matter is underway.
