In Southampton, England, 18-year-old Henry Novak, despite suffering severe stab wounds, was not properly assessed by the police, resulting in the young man losing his life.
Medianews.az reports that the incident happened last year.
18-year-old student Henry Novak was suddenly attacked on the street by 23-year-old Vikrum Digwan and received 5 stab wounds.
Police officers arriving at the scene did not believe the blood-covered and pleading young man and mistook him for the attacker. Despite Henry begging at least seven times, saying "I can't breathe," the police pushed him to the ground and handcuffed him. Shortly after, the young man lost consciousness and died in hospital. A medical examination confirmed that he suffocated due to internal bleeding.
According to court documents, the perpetrator Vikrum Digwan called the police himself, claiming to have been subjected to a racist attack and misleading the police. Instead of a small religious symbol "Kirpan" dagger, he carried a 21-centimeter combat knife with him.
Southampton Crown Court called the attacker's claims of racism a "malicious lie" and sentenced V. Digwan to 21 years in prison for murder. The United Kingdom Sikh Federation also condemned the incident, stating that the cutting instrument used was not a religious symbol but a weapon.
Video footage released with the family's permission has sparked serious discussions and investigations regarding police conduct and service negligence in England.
