British Sikh groups have cautioned against calls to ban the kirpan in the UK after a murder conviction involving a knife claimed to be carried for religious reasons, warning such moves “unfairly” target an entire community for one criminal’s actions.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was found guilty of fatally stabbing Henry Nowak, 18, with a 21-cm dagger last December, and his mother, 53-year-old Kiran Kaur, was convicted of assisting an offender at Southampton Crown Court. During the trial, Digwa denied murder charges and claimed he used the knife he carried ceremonially in self-defence. The case spotlighted the kirpan, with far-right groups like the Restore Britain party calling for a ban.
“Calls to ban the kirpan in response to this murder risk unfairly targeting an entire community for the actions of a single criminal individual,” the City Sikhs Foundation said. “The actions of one individual can never and should never be used to define an entire faith community. The British Sikh community is one of the most well-integrated and law-abiding communities in the UK, with a proud history spanning more than 160 years.”
The charity reiterated it “utterly condemns” the horrific murder and urged unity, calm, and responsible public discourse.
The kirpan is a symbolic article of faith for Sikhs initiated into the Khalsa tradition, a constant reminder to defend the most vulnerable in society. It has been worn responsibly in Britain for generations.
Sikh Federation UK condemned the “unlawful killing,” fearing it had “unnecessarily stirred up community hatred.” They clarified that the law only provides fully practising Sikhs with a defence to wear a kirpan for religious reasons, and if used aggressively in violence, the defence does not apply, and it becomes an offensive weapon.
Judge William Mousley noted that under UK law, such bladed items must be for religious or self-defence reasons. Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg told the jury: “This is not a case about Sikhism. This is not a case about racism. This is a case about murder.”
The issue was compounded by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary officers facing an IOPC probe for handcuffing the victim when they first arrived at the crime scene.
Digwa is set to be sentenced on Monday, and his mother on July 17.
Sikh religious practices deserve respect, but criminal acts must never be justified through faith.
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