A British Sikh restaurateur has called for a ban on the gram pan knife, arguing that the ceremonial knife is being misused as a weapon against unarmed civilians despite its significance as an article of Sikh faith.Harman Singh Kapoor, who runs London’s Rangrez restaurant, has previously made headlines over controversy over the restaurant’s serving of non-halal meat.Kapoor’s comments came days after 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa was convicted of murdering 18-year-old college student Henry Nowak with a 21cm long chuck. Digueva claimed he acted in self-defense during the confrontation, but the jury rejected that argument and convicted him of murder. His mother was also found guilty of assisting after helping to remove the weapon from the scene.
Harman Singh Kapoor calls for ban on Kopan
The case has reignited discussions about legal exemptions that allow Sikhs to carry chucks, one of the five articles of faith that Sikhs adhere to.The issue has also entered mainstream political debate. Zia Yusuf, spokesman for the British Reform Party, recently said the exemption allowing Sikhs to carry kirpan would be scrapped if the party came to power.“I don’t care what religion you are. Under a reform government, no one except law enforcement can carry a deadly weapon,” Youssef wrote on X.The issue has elicited differing views from within and outside the Sikh community. Supporters of the current exemption argue that the vast majority of kpan bearers wear ceremonial blades only as religious symbols rather than using them as weapons.
