Manipur Musician Lynched in Delhi After Complaint Over Noise

New Delhi: A well known musician from Manipur was lynched after he complained against loud noise, in southeast Delhi’s Kilokari Village.

Chongtham Vikram Singh is a familiar name from Manipur's music scene – he was guitarist of Phoenix, a rock band of some repute – and the son of renowned classical vocalist Chongtham Ongbi Kamala Devi and the cousin of Lakshmipriya Devi, the director of India’s first BAFTA-winning film, Times of India reports. He ran a music school in Delhi.

Close to midnight on September 6, Singh had asked men handling delivery and service at a dhaba near his house to keep the volume down. TOI reports that while he was alighting the stairs to talk to them, the group rushed up and attacked him on the alleyway. He was beaten severely, according to reports.

Fifty-five-year-old Singh sustained severe injuries from the assault and succumbed at the Holy Family Hospital where he had been taken by his son, Yaiphaba.

Police has held eight people, according to the report. A case under sections 103(2) (murder) and 3(5) (common intention) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered.

Vineet Kumar, the Southeast Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police, was quoted by Indian Express as having said, “I, along with other senior officers, have met the family and other community members and assured prompt and lawful action. All seven accused have been arrested, and a minor has been apprehended. Further investigation is underway.”

Outrage has been swift against the law and order situation in Delhi, with opposition politicians pointing to the situation in posts on X.

Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, wrote:

Chongtham Vikram Singh ji, a renowned musician from Manipur, went downstairs to ask some men to lower the noise outside his home. He was beaten to death for it.

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?

What are Shah's MHA and Delhi Police doing to stop this growing lawlessness, especially against people from the Northeast?

There must be a swift investigation, and the culprits must be brought to justice. My condolences to Vikram ji's family.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has echoed Gandhi:

The merciless lynching of Chongtham Vikram Singh ji, a well-known musician from Manipur, by a mob is yet another chilling reminder of the utter lawlessness under the BJP.

Students are unsafe. Women face atrocities every day. People from Northeast India face discrimination. Dalits, Adivasis and minorities remain highly vulnerable.

Under HM Amit Shah’s watch, Delhi has become a crime capital, with the NCRB recording highest levels of crimes in the national capital year after year.

My deepest condolences to the bereaved family. They deserve justice, and those responsible must face the strictest action.

The incompetence of the Modi Sarkar has left the people of Manipur suffering both within their state and outside it.

N. Biren Singh, former chief minister of Manipur, wrote that he was deeply saddened:

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.

Shri Vikram Singh’s invaluable contribution to music will always be remembered. His untimely passing is a great loss to his family, the music fraternity, and the people of Manipur. 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.

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