A Sikh man has been found guilty of murdering an 18-year-old university student with a ceremonial knife, after telling police a 'wicked lie' that he was the victim of a racist attack. Vickrum Digwa, 23, stabbed finance student Henry Nowak five times with a kirpan – a Sikh ceremonial knife with a 21cm blade – in Belmont Road, Southampton, on 3 December 2025.
Digwa was filmed by his victim moments before the attack, telling him 'I am a bad man'. He inflicted two stab wounds to the back of Nowak's legs and a fatal wound to his heart. Digwa was also convicted of carrying a bladed weapon in public. His mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was found guilty of assisting an offender by removing the weapon from the scene.
In evidence, Digwa claimed Nowak, whom he described as drunk, had racially abused him, punched him and knocked off his turban. He said he stabbed Nowak in self-defence but did not realise he had caused the fatal chest wound. However, prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC told the jury Digwa had told a 'wicked lie' to police, claiming he was the victim of a racist attack and denying he had stabbed Nowak.
Police officers handcuffed the dying student after Digwa's false claims, before Nowak collapsed and died despite first aid. Tech billionaire Elon Musk offered to fund a private prosecution against the police, and the Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating.
Lobbenberg said Digwa, who had trained with weapons since age 12, described the murder weapon in 'loving terms' and 'sleeps in a bedroom with an arsenal of weapons'. He added that although Sikhs may legally carry a kirpan, a small dagger under clothing suffices, but Digwa 'chose' to carry two knives, with the large one on display. Judge William Mousley KC adjourned sentencing for Digwa to 1 June and Kaur to 17 July.
