India

Son Recalls Fatal Night Attack on Manipuri Guitarist in Delhi

By HT News Desk

The son of a Manipuri musician beaten to death in Delhi has described the events leading to his father's death. Yaiphaba, son of guitarist and music teacher Chongtham Vikram Singh, said a group of people were drinking alcohol and making noise outside their residence when his father went down to intervene.

"My father went downstairs and asked them not to make noise because we were being disturbed. They beat him up," Yaiphaba told news agency PTI. He said that when he opened the door, he found his father shirtless while the accused continued to assault him.

"Those people ran away. I took my father to the emergency room, where the doctor told us that his chances of survival were slim. Later, the doctor told us that he had died," Yaiphaba said.

Chongtham Vikram Singh, 54, a well-known guitarist from Manipur, had worked as a private music teacher in Delhi for 17 years. He is survived by his wife, Joshna Chongtham, 50, and their 20-year-old son. The family lived in a third-floor flat in Kilokari village, under the jurisdiction of Sunlight Colony police station.

According to earlier reports, the incident occurred around 11:30 pm on Sunday when Vikram went downstairs to throw out garbage and encountered a group of workers from two nearby dhabas creating a commotion. When he asked them to stop, the situation escalated. Manipuri social activist B Ruchida Sharma, who works with people from the Northeast in Delhi, said the attackers chased Vikram to the third floor, overpowered him in the corridor, and beat him before fleeing.

Deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Vineet Kumar said the Sunlight Colony police station received a call about the assault at 1:38 am on Monday. Vikram was taken to a private hospital in Okhla, where he died during treatment.

A heavy police presence was reported outside Chongtham's residence as the investigation into his death intensified. Seven men have been arrested, and a minor has been detained in connection with the case. The arrested individuals were identified as Bharat Kumar, 19; Pramod, 26; Ramzan Khan, 22; Vijay, 36; Deepanshu, 21; Mohan Vishwakarma, 32; and Mannu, 26. Police said four of them worked as delivery workers and two as packaging workers at the dhabas, while Mannu was employed at a pizza kiosk.

The case has sparked strong reactions online, with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condemning the incident. Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke also commented, stating that law and order in the city had "gone to the dogs."