Seven men have been arrested and a 15-year-old boy have been arrested for allegedly beating to death a popular Manipuri musician – Chongtham Vikram Singh – in Delhi’s Kilokari village late on Sunday, an incident which has sparked outrage and calls for swift action.
The artist was allegedly assaulted by the group of men after he objected to commotion they were creating near his house, HT earlier reported, citing police and people familiar with the incident. Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition raised concerns over safety of northeasterns in Delhi and on X on Tuesday, “A father, killed outside his own home, in his own country’s capital. After many such incidents, every Northeast family in Delhi is asking the same question today – are we safe here?
Manipur chief minister Khemchand Yumnam offered his condolences over the death of Chongtham Vikram Singh, saying that his valuable contribution to music and the cultural life of the state will always be remembered with deep respect. Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh urged Delhi Police to conduct a thorough investigation. Chongtham Vikram Singh , a well-known guitarist from Manipur, had been working as a private music teacher in Delhi for the past 17 years. He lived with his wife, Joshna Chongtham, 50, and their 20-year-old son, Yaiphaba Chongtham, in a third-floor flat in Kilokari, which falls under Sunlight Colony police station. Police registered a case under sections 103(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Section 103(2) pertains to murder committed by a group of five or more persons acting in concert on specified grounds, including race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language or personal belief, while Section 3(5) deals with acts committed by several persons in furtherance of a common intention.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic passing of renowned Manipuri guitarist and Western music pioneer, Shri Chongtham Vikram Singh, and deeply concerned by the incident in which he was allegedly assaulted near his residence in southeast Delhi,” Singh wrote on X, attaching the purported CCTV video capturing accused. “With evidence now emerging in connection with the incident, I urge the Delhi Police to take swift and appropriate action, thoroughly investigate the matter, and ensure that justice is delivered at the earliest,” he added.
