Manipuri musician beaten to death over noise outside Delhi flat; 8 held

A 55-year-old Manipuri musician and music teacher died after he was allegedly beaten by a group of men in southeast Delhi’s Kilokari village after objecting to noise outside his home, police said.

Chongtham Vikram Singh was attacked on Sunday night after he stepped out of his residence and confronted a group of men who were allegedly drinking and creating a disturbance. He sustained severe injuries and was taken to Holy Family Hospital by his son, where he later died. The hospital attributed his death to haemorrhagic shock caused by blunt-force trauma.

Police have arrested seven men and apprehended a juvenile in connection with the case. The accused have been identified as Bharat Kumar, 19; Pramod, 26; Ramzan Khan, 22; Deepanshu, 21; Mohan Vishwakarma, 32; Vijay, 36; and Mannu, 26. Police said the accused worked at dhabas, food stalls and as delivery workers.

A PCR call regarding the assault was received at the Sunlight Colony police station. A preliminary inquiry found that Singh had objected to the group creating a nuisance outside his residence. He was allegedly assaulted with fists and blows during the confrontation.

Police have registered a murder case and launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the assault and Singh’s death.

Singh, who belonged to the Meitei community, had lived in Kilokari village for several years. He was a prominent musician from Manipur and had been associated with bands there before moving to Delhi, where he later worked as a music teacher. He was the son of noted classical vocalist Chongtham Kamala Devi.

The North East Students Society, Delhi University (NESSDU), described Singh as a “respected Manipuri musician” and termed his death a “senseless act of violence”. The students’ body called for a swift, fair and thorough investigation and urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable.

The incident has triggered concern among members of the Northeast community, with some raising questions over a possible racial motive. Police, however, have said that no racial motive has been established so far and that the investigation into the motive and circumstances of the assault is continuing.

The accused have been taken into custody and further investigation is underway.

Congress leader Pawan Khera has held the government responsible for the death of Manipuri musician C. Vikram Singh, alleging that years of tolerance towards public nuisance and loud music had created a “culture of impunity”.

Singh was allegedly beaten to death in Delhi after objecting to noise and drinking outside his home.

Calling the incident more than an isolated case of drunken violence, Khera alleged that the government had normalised “loud DJs, public ruckus and the blatant disregard for rules” by failing to enforce laws consistently.

“The government may not have wielded the bat that killed Vikram Singh. But it cannot escape responsibility for creating the environment that led to his murder,” Khera said.

With PTI inputs