The Sikh Federation (UK) has condemned the Crown Prosecution Service and police over their handling of the Henry Nowak murder case, particularly regarding the weapon involved. Vickrum Digwa was convicted of killing the Southampton University student by stabbing. Reports during the trial suggested the weapon was a kirpan, which UK law allows for religious and ceremonial purposes. Following the conviction, Dabinderjit Singh of the Sikh Federation noted a sharp rise in hate crimes against the community. He argued that the current political climate has led Sikhs to question why they face targeting, adding that one person’s crime should not reflect on an entire group. Some prominent commentators have called for restrictions on carrying the kirpan. The federation maintains that the weapon used was not a kirpan and that prosecutors failed to clarify this point. The blade is described as a pesh-kabz of Persian origin, with a length similar to the 21cm knife Digwa carried separately from his kirpan. The judge confirmed during sentencing that the kirpan was not the murder weapon and highlighted the lasting harm caused to the victim’s family. The CPS has not released images of the actual weapon. Hampshire Police reportedly confirmed to the federation that a kirpan was not used. The group issued a letter to the Home Secretary with details and a similar blade image after the defence identified the weapon post-verdict. It urged those who made statements based on inaccurate details to acknowledge the facts and address the authorities’ role in linking the kirpan to the case.
