Henry Nowak (left) and Vikram Singh Dhigua (right)
A group of 11 Sikh MPs have issued a joint statement excluding Sikhism from the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was fatally stabbed in Southampton by Sikh man Vikram Singh Dhigwa.The intervention comes amid growing public anger over the issue, which has sparked debate over knife laws in the UK and legal exemptions allowing Sikhs to carry ceremonial blades for religious reasons.The statement was signed by several prominent Sikh parliamentarians, including Labor MP and Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs Jas Athwal, Health Minister Preet Kaur Gill, and Tan Dhesi.MPs reiterated their position, concluding: “This is not about Sikhism. This is about a man carrying an offensive weapon and committing a brutal murder.”
“This case was not about Sikhism.”
In their statement, deputies 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 on the facts,” the statement read. “This case was not about Sikhism, and the weapon used was not a kirpan.
As the court found, it was an assault weapon. No protection or religious justification was applied, and the perpetrator was rightly convicted and sentenced.”MPs added that knife crime continues to devastate families and communities across Britain, and stressed that the issue should not be used to stigmatize an entire faith community.
The weapon used was an ‘assault weapon’ and not a kirpan: MPs
Degoa, 23, was sentenced to life in prison this week after being found guilty of Nowak’s murder in December 2025.
The court heard that Degoa stabbed a University of Southampton student using a 21cm-long Peshkaps dagger, an Indo-Persian dagger historically designed to pierce armour. He was also carrying the kirpan, the small ceremonial blade traditionally carried by religious Sikh men.Degoa claimed that he owned the weapons for religious reasons linked to his Sikh religion. However, deputies said the blade used in the attack was not a kirpan, and no religious exemption applied in the case.
Disagreement over religious code exemptions
Under UK law, it is illegal to carry most knives in public places without good reason. The law provides limited exceptions for religious purposes, including the wearing of a kirpan by Sikhs.The case sparked a dispute between Sikh organizations and prosecutors over how to describe the weapon during the trial.The Sikh Federation said the murder weapon was not a religious weapon and accused the authorities of contributing to the “demonization” of the Sikh community.
However, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that the judge agreed with its assessment in relation to the knives that Degoa was carrying.
He was angry at the police response after the stabbing
Public anger was also focused on the period immediately following the attack. Bodycam footage shown during the proceedings showed Nowak lying on the ground after being stabbed while Degoa 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 sparked criticism of the police response and sparked protests in Southampton, some of which descended into chaos.