The Sikh Federation has accused the Home Office of "inappropriately targeting" the kirpan, a sacred religious blade, in an effort to "deflect from police failings" related to the murder of Henry Nowak. The federation asserts that the murder weapon was not a kirpan, and the Home Office is using the case as a diversionary tactic.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has indicated she is considering changes to knife legislation following Nowak's fatal stabbing by Vickrum Digwa in Southampton on December 3. These comments came after Nowak's father, Mark, called for greater clarity in the law regarding the definition and appearance of a Sikh kirpan.
Dabinderjit Singh, the Sikh Federation's chief executive for political engagement, stated that instead of addressing the systemic failures that led to the tragedy, the government is allowing inaccurate and harmful narratives about the Sikh faith to emerge. He emphasized that Sikhs support public safety and the fight against knife crime but will not accept the sacred kirpan being falsely associated with a murder weapon.
The Sikh Federation is urging over 250 Gurdwaras to contact Prime Minister Andy Burnham and encouraging thousands of Sikhs to reach out to their Members of Parliament, demanding an end to what they describe as a discriminatory approach and proper engagement with Sikh organizations. The group has requested an urgent meeting with the government.
Vickrum Digwa was sentenced to at least 21 years for murdering Henry Nowak, an 18-year-old. The sentence was later increased to 25 years on appeal.
Digwa filmed Nowak as he lay dying and falsely accused him of racial abuse, leading to officers handcuffing Nowak as he lay dying. The judge noted that Digwa possessed a kirpan and a "large dagger in a sheath" at the time of the murder.
Carrying a knife in public is generally illegal, though exceptions exist for religious reasons, including the Sikh kirpan. Henry Nowak's father has called for legislation to define the kirpan's permitted size, type, and whether it must be visible. Home Secretary Mahmood stated she is considering all options while seeking to balance religious expression with public safety expectations.
Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, was sentenced to three years for assisting an offender by hiding the murder weapon and is expected to be released soon, a timing her family described as cruel around the first anniversary of the murder.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating potential failures in the police response to the stabbing, with two officers under investigation for potential gross misconduct. Their investigation is expected to conclude early next year.