A Sikh man who murdered an 18-year-old student in Southampton had previously been reported to police for allegedly stealing ceremonial religious blades, according to the Daily Mail.
Details of the case
Vickrum Digwa, 23, received a life sentence after being convicted of killing Henry Nowak, 18, with an eight-inch kirpan in Southampton city centre in December 2025.
Members of the local Sikh community reportedly contacted police in July 2023 over the alleged theft of ceremonial Shastar blades valued at around £1,000.
Connection to the gurdwara
The blades were allegedly taken from Gurdwara Khalsa Darbar in Southampton, where Digwa and his brother had been teaching Gatka, a traditional Sikh martial art involving weapons demonstrations.
A source at the gurdwara said Digwa was dismissed as a Gatka instructor in August 2023 and later reported to police over the alleged theft.
"We dismissed him as a Gatka teacher in August 2023 and then I reported him to the police for stealing around £1,000 worth of Shastar which was bought with the community's money," the source told the Daily Mail.
No charges were filed in connection with that incident.
Legal proceedings
Digwa's mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was also convicted of assisting an offender after prosecutors said she removed the murder weapon from the scene following the stabbing.
Sentencing Digwa to life imprisonment, Judge William Mousley KC stated that the defendant had "brought shame upon your family and your religion." The judge also said he was satisfied that Henry Nowak had "said nothing racist" during the encounter, rejecting a key part of Digwa's account.
