Vickrum Digwa's grandmother speaks out after Henry Nowak murder
Warning: This article contains content which some readers may find distressing.
On 3 December, Henry Nowak was on his way home when he was killed.
The 18-year-old repeatedly told police he had been stabbed but was handcuffed after attacker Vickrum Digwa claimed he had been racially abused.
In body-worn camera footage from the incident in Southampton, the first-year uni student can be heard saying: “I’ve been stabbed,” to which an officer replies: “Don’t think you have, mate.”
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As protests and some violence break out after the sentencing of Digwa, the killer’s grandmother has spoken out.
The 23-year-old was sentenced to life with a minimum of 21 years for stabbing Nowak with a ceremonial knife with a 21cm blade prosecutors said was a kirpan, which he carried as part of his Sikh religion.
His grandmother, Bimla Kaur has said the family are now living in fear of retaliation as she also stood up for the man’s mother, Kiran Kaur.
She stands accused of assisting in concealing the weapon used in the killing but the 75-year-old says Kiran acted as ‘any mum would’.
Bimla told the Daily Mail: “This whole case has destroyed two families: Henry's and mine.
“We are in a hard situation because we still have to support him [Digwa] but at the same time our hearts are broken and I'm very sorry for what's happened.”
The grandmother explained the family come from a particularly martial Sikh sect that prides itself on being skilled in the use of swords and other weapons. However she said Digwa abused this heritage.
“These weapons are not meant to be used on the innocent, so something has gone wrong,” Kaur explained. “He's done a very bad thing - there's no argument over that.”
She added that while she and the family take pride in the men being Nihangs, Digwa had betrayed it as the weapons ‘are not meant to be used on the innocent.
The grandmother added that family members’ homes have been ‘targeted’ and they are ‘all living in fear’ as they worry they might ‘get attacked’.
Digwa had previously been investigated by police in 2023 on suspicion of stealing ceremonial blades from a Sikh temple in Southampton but no further action was taken.
Speaking after the killer’s sentencing on Monday, Nowak’s dad, Mark said: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension.”
Digwa had told police at the scene of the stabbing that he had been the victim of a racist attack.
The police watchdog is expected to report on the case within the next three months.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said investigators are examining a large amount of body-worn video as well as material presented during Digwa’s trial.
Sir Keir Starmer said the footage was ‘harrowing’ and that there are ‘clearly serious questions that need to be addressed’.
Jess Battison