Vikrum Digwa’s grandmother breaks silence on Henry Novak murder, defends killer’s mother’s decision to conceal weapon: ‘Any parent would…’

The grandmother of convicted killer Vikrum Digwa has defended his mother’s actions, saying she “just did what any parent would do” after helping hide the weapon used in the murder of Henry Novak.Speaking publicly for the first time since Digwa was sentenced to life in prison on Monday, 75-year-old Bimla Kaur said the case had devastated both families and left her relatives living in fear.“This whole case has devastated two families – Henry’s and mine,” she told the Daily Mail.Digwa, 23, was convicted of murdering Nowak using a kirpan, a Sikh ceremonial knife, in Southampton on December 3 last year. His mother, Kiran Kaur, 52, hid the knife at her son’s request and was later convicted of accessory to homicide. She is currently on remand and is expected to be sentenced later this month.Kaul defended her daughter-in-law, saying: “She just did what any mother would do.”Kiran was described by her grandmother as a devout Sikh and a dedicated homemaker who was entirely focused on raising her children in a traditional family environment.“Now she will be punished for it,” she added.Kaul expressed sympathy for the victim’s family and made it clear she would not condone her grandson’s actions.“He did something very bad – that’s indisputable,” she said, describing Digvar as a “difficult boy”.Kaul said the fallout from the case has left her family fearing for their safety. Violent protests erupted in Southampton after Digvar was convicted and police body camera footage was released. Some demonstrators headed to the street where the Digwa family lives.Kaur said her son Moga and grandson Gurpreet have since left the home and are staying with relatives at an undisclosed location.“It’s not safe for them to be at home because the house has been targeted a few nights ago and it’s only a matter of time before it’s attacked again,” she said.Kaul said her family had also received threats, although she remained at her home in Southampton city centre.“We are all living in fear because we have had some threats and fear that we too will be attacked,” she said. “But we have been in this city for a long time, our whole extended family is here and we have nowhere else to go.”Kaul also spoke of her family’s connection to the Nihangs, a centuries-old Sikh warrior group known for carrying traditional weapons and defending the Sikh faith. She said many male members of her family, including Digwa’s father and brother, belonged to the group.“It’s an important part of our faith and I’m proud of it,” she said.However, she insisted her grandson’s behavior violated those values.She added: “These weapons were not used against innocent people and that’s why something went wrong.”During the trial, Digwa was described as “weapons obsessed” and was found to be in possession of a variety of illegal weapons in addition to the ceremonial chuck.Members of the Sikh community also distanced themselves from him. Jas Singh of the British Sikh Federation said: “He is a fake Nihang. Yes, weapons are important to us and we learn to use them, but it is clearly stated that they should only be used to protect the faith, to uphold justice, to defend the innocent, and not to kill them. “The Nihangs are an upright, noble people, but Digwa is none of these. He is a common thug and gangster, no different from anyone you would see on the streets of the UK.”“