Vickrum Digwa, 23 , was found guilty on Thursday of murdering 18‑year‑old finance student Henry Nowak in Southampton city centre last December. A video obtained by the Daily Mail shows Digwa performing a Gatka weapons demonstration with his brother in May 2023, highlighting a long‑standing obsession with ceremonial Sikh blades.

2023 Gatka video reveals Digwa’s public knife display

In a 30‑second clip recorded at a Sikh event in London, Digwa and his older brother Gurpreet are seen sparring with knives and small shields while dressed in traditional turbans. sources in the local Sikh community said the brothers were briefly Gatka teachers before cutting ties with Digwa over concerns about his behaviour. According to the Daily Mail, the footage underscores that his fascination with weapons was visible years before the fatal attack.

December 3 murder: false racism claim and police mishandling

On the night of December 3, Digwa approached Nowak, who was returning from a night out, and stabbed him six times with an eight‑inch ceremonial blade. He then falsely claimed that Nowak had shouted racist abuse, punched him and knocked off his turban. Police officers, believing the allegation, handcuffed the bleeding teenager, who later died at the scene. Deputy Chief Constable Robert France later apologised to the victim’s family for the arrest.

Political fallout and calls for accountability

MPs blasted the police response as a “catastrophic blunder.” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called it “the most shocking example of two‑tier policing” he has ever seen , while Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said officers were more interested in cuffing an alleged racist than saving a dying man.. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is now investigating the officers’ actions, and there are public demands for the release of body‑cam footage.

Potential legal consequences for Digwa

Digwa faces a possible life sentence after being convicted of murder, with the court hearing that he “aggressively pursued” Nowak and inflicted an 8 cm deep chest wound. He described the murder weapon in “loving terms” during police questioning, and investigators found an “arsenal of weapons” in the bedroom he shared with his brother.

Unanswered questions about community oversight

Key uncertanities remain: why the Gatka community’s concerns did not trigger earlier intervention, and whether anti‑racism training influenced officers to accept Digwa’s false claim without scrutiny. The Daily Mail notes that tech billionaire Elon Musk has offered to fund a private prosecution against the police, adding another layer to the controversy.