LONDON: The UK government on Monday announced an independent probe into the high-profile murder of a student, who was handcuffed by police as he lay dying after being stabbed by a British Sikh.

The case of Henry Nowak was seized upon by anti-immigration politicians such as Nigel Farage and US tech billionaire Elon Musk and prompted unrest in Southampton with protesters throwing bricks at police.

Interior minister Shabana Mahmood announced an independent review into the circumstances of Nowak’s killing by Vickrum Digwa in the southern port in December, after the details prompted public revulsion.

Mahmood said Nowak’s case “raised serious and legitimate questions about whether more could have been done to prevent this tragedy” and about “the response of public authorities”.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2026