Rohtak, Haryana – March 2, 2025
A gruesome discovery has rocked Haryana’s political and social landscape, as the body of 22-year-old Congress worker Himani Narwal was found stuffed inside a suitcase near the Sampla bus stand flyover in Rohtak district on Friday morning. The chilling incident, suspected by police to be a premeditated murder, has triggered widespread outrage, with the Congress party demanding an impartial and high-level investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.
 
The macabre scene came to light when passersby spotted a large blue suitcase abandoned along the Rohtak-Delhi highway and alerted the authorities. Sampla Police Station SHO Bijender Singh reported that upon opening the suitcase, officers discovered the body of a young woman, later identified as Himani Narwal. Preliminary investigations suggest she was strangled—her neck was wrapped with a scarf, and there were signs of a violent struggle. The presence of fresh mehndi designs on her hands hinted at recent celebrations, adding a haunting layer to the tragedy. “It appears she was murdered elsewhere, and her body was dumped here,” Singh stated, noting that the killing likely occurred within the previous 24 hours. The body was sent to PGIMS Rohtak for a post-mortem examination to confirm the cause of death.
Himani Narwal was no ordinary citizen—she was an active member of the Congress party, known for her dedication during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2023 and her involvement in election campaigns alongside former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his son, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda. Hailing from Rindhana village in Sonipat, Narwal had been living in Rohtak’s Shivaji Colony at the time of her death. Her commitment to the party had earned her recognition, making her murder not just a personal loss but a political flashpoint.
The Congress leadership reacted swiftly and forcefully. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, in a statement on X, expressed profound shock, calling the murder “barbaric” and a “blot on the law and order situation of the state.” He urged for a “high-level impartial investigation” to ensure justice for Narwal’s family and the harshest punishment for the culprits. “The news of Himani Narwal’s murder is extremely sad and shocking. A girl killed in this manner and found in a suitcase—this is a failure of governance,” Hooda said, pointing to what he described as a prevailing “jungle raj” under the BJP-led government in Haryana.
Congress MLA Bharat Bhushan Batra, who identified Narwal’s body, echoed Hooda’s sentiments and took it a step further, demanding the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. “Himani was a dedicated worker who participated in every Congress program. This is a targeted killing, and we need answers,” Batra told reporters outside Narwal’s residence. He criticized the state government for its alleged inability to curb rising crime, particularly against women, citing Haryana’s troubling statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau.
The timing of the murder—just a day before Haryana’s municipal elections—has fueled speculation of political motives, though police have yet to establish a definitive link. Authorities are scrutinizing CCTV footage near the crime scene and analyzing Narwal’s call records to uncover leads. “We have booked unknown persons under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the investigation is ongoing,” said SHO Singh, adding that forensic evidence collected at the site could prove crucial.
The incident has reignited debates over women’s safety in Haryana, with Congress leaders accusing the BJP government of failing to protect its citizens. Hooda referenced the state’s high rates of violent crime, including murders and assaults, as evidence of systemic breakdown. Narwal’s family, meanwhile, remains in a state of disbelief, with her mother and brother—residents of Delhi’s Najafgarh—offering little comment as they grapple with their loss.
As the investigation unfolds, pressure is mounting on the Haryana government to deliver swift justice. For the Congress party, Himani Narwal’s death is not just a tragedy but a rallying cry—a call to hold those in power accountable and to ensure that no more lives are lost to the shadows of lawlessness. The question now is whether this horrific crime will lead to answers, or if it will remain another unresolved chapter in the state’s troubled narrative.