Southampton Sikhs plan Akhand Path in memory of Henry Nowak

Southampton's Sikh community is planning a 48-hour Akhand Path, an uninterrupted reading of Sikhism's holy scripture, in memory of teenager Henry Nowak, who was murdered by a Sikh boy, and as a gesture of solidarity with his family.

Baldev Singh of the Supreme Sikh Council UK told The Tribune that local gurdwaras were discussing plans for the event following the conviction of 23-year-old Southampton resident Vickrum Singh Digwa for the killing.

"We are with Henry's family in their grief," Baldev Singh said. "We share their sadness and express our deepest sympathy."

He said members of the Nowak family, local residents and supporters from across Southampton would be invited to attend.

"We will also be inviting members of the wider white community who have expressed their support for Sikhs in their thousands since this tragedy occurred. We want this to be an occasion of solidarity and healing."

Southampton social worker Bharpoor Singh, who works closely with the city's gurdwaras, said community leaders were carefully considering the timing of any such event.

"We are thinking about it," he told The Tribune. "When it is peaceful, we will act."

He said the response from local residents had demonstrated that most people rejected attempts to create division between communities.

Separately, Justice Anup Singh Choudry, a retired judge of the High Court of Uganda, warned against linking the actions of a convicted killer to Sikh religious practices or to the wider Sikh community.

Choudry said public discussion of the Southampton killing had created confusion over the nature of the weapon involved.

"The fatal injuries were inflicted with a Pesh Kabz, a Persian-style dagger, and not with a kirpan," he said.

The distinction is significant because the kirpan is one of the five articles of faith traditionally carried by initiated Sikhs and is specifically recognised under the British law.

Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years for the killing.

Choudry said criminal responsibility should remain with the individual offender and not be extended to an entire community.

"Sikhs have been an integral part of Britain's military, social and economic fabric for more than two centuries," he told The Tribune.

He pointed the long history of Sikh service to Britain, noting that Sikh soldiers fought with distinction in both World Wars and had been praised by successive British leaders for their courage and loyalty. He also noted that King Charles III has publicly acknowledged the contribution of Sikhs to British society and public life.

"These religious practices have coexisted peacefully within British society for decades and have never posed a threat to public order or national cohesion," he said.

Choudry warned against allowing a single criminal case to distort perceptions of an entire faith community numbering more than 30 million people worldwide.

"It would be unjust and counterproductive to make a whole faith community a scapegoat for the actions of a single individual," he said.

Referring to official crime statistics, Choudry added that knife crime was a national problem affecting all communities.

"Available data on identified offenders indicates that approximately 67 per cent were White, 22 per cent Black, 7 per cent Asian and 4 per cent from other or unknown ethnic backgrounds," he said. "These figures demonstrate that knife crime is a complex societal issue that transcends race, religion and culture."

According to official statistics, more than 49,000 knife-enabled offences were recorded in England and Wales during the year ending December 2025.

The proposed Akhand Path would conclude with prayers for Henry Nowak, his family and the wider Southampton community.