AMRITSAR, June 6 -- Four days after a UK court sentenced Vickrum Singh Digwa, a 23-year-old Sikh man, to life imprisonment for the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani KuldipSingh Gargaj on Friday expressed condolences to the deceased student's family and said the punishment was justified. "The punishment is justified and in accordance with the law for the crime he committed," Giani Gargaj said. He said the legal process in the UK gave punishment to Digwa giving no special treatment to religious exemption, and the Sikh community agrees with it. Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment on June 1 after being found guilty of killing Nowak in Southampton on December 3, 2025. He had falsely claimed that he was racially abused and had acted in self-defence. Akal Takht acting jathedar, however, said that while it is necessary to punish offenders according to the law, attempts by certain forces to target the entire Sikh community over the Southampton incident, demanding a ban on the Sikh article of faith, the kirpan, and engaging in politics driven by hatred or racism appear to be part of a deep-rooted conspiracy. He also appealed to theBritish government to keep a close watch on individualsand groups attempting to undermine social cohesionand communal harmony....