Sikh MPs Denounce Henry Nowak Murder, Dispute Religious Justification For Knife Use

A collective of eleven Sikh Members of Parliament has publicly declared that the fatal stabbing of Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old student in Southampton, was “not about” their religion. Vickrum Digwa, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, had falsely asserted he was racially abused and acted in self-defence, claiming the blade he used was for religious purposes.

The MPs' statement unequivocally asserts that Nowak’s murder was “not about Sikhism,” but rather concerned “a man carrying an offensive weapon and committing a brutal murder.” This intervention comes as the UK’s knife laws face renewed scrutiny, particularly Section 139 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, which allows for religious exemptions to carrying knives in public.

Despite Digwa’s claims, the Sikh Federation has contested that the weapon used was not a kirpan, a religious knife. They have criticised the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for failing to clarify this during the trial, suggesting the community has been “demonised.” The CPS maintains that Digwa chose to carry two ceremonial knives and that the judge concurred the weapon was a kirpan.

The killing has prompted debate among public figures, including Elon Musk, regarding the legal framework surrounding ceremonial blades. Violent disorder has also been reported following protests in Southampton related to the murder.

The Sikh MPs concluded: “This case was not about Sikhism, and the weapon used was not a kirpan. As the court found, it was an offensive weapon. No religious protection or justification applied, and the offender was rightly convicted and sentenced.”