After the murder of 18 year old student Henry Novak in Britain, the debate regarding Saber has intensified. In this case, 23 year old Vikram Digva has been convicted of murder. After this, some leaders and officials have raised the demand to review the exemption to keep sharp weapons for religious reasons and ban the saber.
Kirpan is one of the five swords of Sikhism. The remaining four kakaras are – Kesh, Kada, Kangha and Kachch. In Sikhism, Kirpan is considered not just a weapon but a symbol of faith and responsibility. It gives the message of standing against injustice and protecting the weak. Usually the saber is small and worn close to the body.
What does UK law say?
According to British law, it is legal to possess a saber for religious, cultural, historical or sporting reasons. But if any sharp weapon is used to commit a crime, then it is considered a crime under the law. In such cases the court decides whether it was right to keep the weapon or not.
The prosecution told in the court that Vikram Digva had two sharp religious weapons. He had a small saber around his neck, which was part of his religious tradition. But he also had a large dagger, which was used to murder Henry Novak. The judge described this weapon as a big Sikh dagger.
What does the Sikh community have to say?
Sikh organizations in Britain have strongly condemned the murder. They say that the large dagger used in the murder was not a traditional saber. The leaders of the Sikh community have clearly said that the actions of Vikram Digva do not represent the entire Sikh community. He said that this is an individual’s crime, the entire community should not be held responsible for this.
Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has called for a review of religious exemption laws after this incident. She said she would write a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on this issue. The Reform UK Party has demanded a complete ban on Sabre. The statements of party leader Nigel Farage have also been criticized a lot.
Appeal to maintain peace
Home Minister Shabana Mahmood has appealed to the people to maintain peace. He said that rumors and misinformation spreading on social media can worsen the atmosphere. About 5.35 lakh Sikhs live in Britain. According to the 2025 British Sikh Report, 49% of Sikhs are worried about an increasing anti-Sikh environment in Britain, while 50% fear that misinformation spread on social media could increase hatred and discrimination against the community.
Also read: The young man kept saying that he had been stabbed, the British police arrested him
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