A group of 11 Sikh MPs has issued a joint statement distancing Sikhism from the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was fatally stabbed in Southampton by Sikh man Vickrum Singh Digwa.The intervention comes amid increasing public anger over the case, which began a debate around UK knife laws and the legal exemptions that allow Sikhs to carry ceremonial blades for religious reasons.The statement was signed by several high-profile Sikh parliamentarians, including Labour MP and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group of British Sikhs Jas Athwal, health minister Preet Kaur Gill, and Tan Dhesi.Reiterating their position, the MPs concluded: “This was not about Sikhism. It was about a man carrying an offensive weapon and committing a brutal murder.”
‘This case was not about Sikhism’
In their statement, the MPs described Nowak’s killing as a “horrific and senseless crime” and expressed their condolences to his family.“As Sikh MPs, we believe it is important to be clear about the facts,” the statement said. “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.”The MPs added that knife crime continues to devastate families and communities across Britain and stressed that the case should not be used to stigmatise an entire faith community.
Weapon used was ‘offensive weapon’, not kirpan: MPs
Digwa, 23, was jailed for life this week after being convicted of murdering Nowak in December 2025. Court proceedings heard that Digwa stabbed the University of Southampton student with a 21cm Pesh Kabz, an Indo-Persian dagger historically designed to pierce armour. He was also carrying a kirpan — the small ceremonial blade traditionally carried by observant Sikh men.Digwa claimed he possessed the weapons for religious reasons linked to his Sikh faith. However, the MPs said the blade used in the attack was not a kirpan and that no religious exemption applied in the case.
Row over religious blade exemptions
Under UK law, carrying most knives in public is illegal without a valid reason. The law provides limited exemptions for religious purposes, including the carrying of a kirpan by Sikhs.The case has sparked a dispute between Sikh organisations and prosecutors over how the weapon was characterised during the trial.The Sikh Federation has argued that the murder weapon was not a religious blade and accused authorities of contributing to the “demonisation” of the Sikh community. The Crown Prosecution Service, however, has maintained that the judge agreed with its assessment regarding the knives carried by Digwa.
Outrage over police response after stabbing
Public anger has also focused on the immediate aftermath of the attack. Bodycam footage shown during proceedings revealed Nowak lying on the ground after being stabbed while Digwa allegedly claimed he had been racially abused and acted in self-defence.When officers arrived, Nowak was handcuffed despite repeatedly telling police he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe. The teenager later died from his injuries.The footage has fuelled criticism of the police response and sparked protests in Southampton, some of which descended into disorder.
