‘Gurdwara is empty’: Sikhs scared to leave homes after Vickrum Digwa jailed for murder

The Sikh community in Southampton is living in fear, with many reluctant to leave their homes or visit places of worship after a Sikh man was jailed for murder. Community leaders are raising alarms about a rise in racial abuse and intimidation across the city.

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We are feeling victimised and people are scared to come out of their house. The gurdwara is empty as people won’t walk here.

Leaders told The Times that the atmosphere has become so tense that some Sikhs are afraid to walk to their gurdwaras or allow elderly relatives to go out alone. Reports indicate an increase in abusive incidents in workplaces and public areas. A planned memorial event for a prominent Sikh community figure was even canceled due to safety concerns.

A spokesperson for Gurdwara Khalsa Darbar described the situation as one where people feel targeted. "We are feeling victimised and people are scared to come out of their house. The gurdwara is empty as people won’t walk here," the spokesperson stated, detailing incidents of racial slurs at a cruise terminal and derogatory remarks in a supermarket. Another individual faced refusal of care from a patient because they wore a turban.

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This far-right movement has actually filled everybody with hatred to the Sikhs, at no fault of our own.

Community representatives believe that public discussions surrounding the murder case, particularly involving far-right elements and media coverage, have fueled hatred towards Sikhs. They argue that an isolated incident is unfairly tarnishing the reputation of the entire community, especially Sikh men who wear turbans and carry kirpans. The intense focus on the kirpan, a Sikh ceremonial dagger, has been particularly distressing, as the community states there were no prior issues related to it.

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But the politicians and social media and the news, it’s all been Sikh, Sikh, Sikh and it’s just gone against the Sikhs.

The fears stem from the sentencing of 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa to life imprisonment for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak. Digwa stabbed Nowak with a kirpan during an altercation. Digwa's claim that Nowak had racially attacked him was dismissed by the court. The aftermath of the killing saw riots break out in Southampton following an anti-police protest involving far-right figures, resulting in injuries to police officers and arrests. Disturbing bodycam footage also emerged showing Nowak being handcuffed and questioned by police despite repeatedly stating he had been stabbed and was struggling to breathe, later dying from blood loss.

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It was not the kirpan that did it; it was the person