Manipur CM Writes To Rekha Gupta Seeking High-Level Probe Into Musician’s Death

A candlelight vigil was held at Kangla Gate in Imphal on Monday evening, drawing large crowds who gathered to demand swift justice for Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh, who died last week after allegedly being assaulted outside his residence in Kilokri, southeast Delhi. Visuals of the vigil, marked by rows of flickering candles and placards calling for justice, have since gone viral across social media platforms, reflecting the depth of public anger and grief over the incident, both within Manipur and among the wider Northeast Indian diaspora.

According to reports, Singh, 55, a respected guitarist and music teacher who had lived in Delhi for nearly two decades, stepped out of his home late Sunday night to dispose of garbage when he encountered a group of men outside his residence. An altercation reportedly broke out after Singh objected to loud noise in the neighbourhood, and the confrontation escalated into a physical assault. Singh was allegedly chased and beaten in the corridor of his building in front of his family before being rushed to a nearby hospital by his son. He succumbed to his injuries hours later. Delhi Police have since arrested eight individuals in connection with the case, and investigations are ongoing to establish the complete sequence of events leading to the assault.

Singh had built a long and respected career in music, having grown up in Imphal in a family deeply rooted in the arts — his mother, Chongtham Kamala, was a celebrated Manipuri classical and playback singer. Singh began performing at a young age, later becoming the lead guitarist of a well-known Manipuri rock band before moving to Delhi in the early 2000s to establish himself as an independent musician and teacher. Over the years, he mentored students, ran a music school, and taught at a prominent institution in the capital, in addition to collaborating on cross-genre musical projects. His sudden and violent death has left the local music community in mourning and reignited concerns about the safety of people from Northeast India living in other parts of the country.

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At Monday's vigil, participants called for a meeting with Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and urged authorities to ensure swift, stringent, and transparent legal action against all those arrested in the case. Many attendees expressed frustration over what they described as a pattern of similar incidents involving people from the Northeast facing discrimination or violence while living in other Indian cities, and demanded that the case be treated with urgency by law enforcement in both Delhi and Manipur.

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has written to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta regarding the case, expressing deep sorrow over Singh's death and describing him as a respected musician and teacher from Manipur whose contributions to music were widely recognised. In his communication, the Chief Minister reportedly condemned the act of violence in strong terms, stating that no individual should have to face such brutality or lose their life while simply seeking peace within their own neighbourhood. He is understood to have requested a detailed update on the progress of the investigation and assurances of a fair judicial process for the victim's family.

The case has also drawn national political attention, with several leaders across party lines commenting on the incident and the broader question of safety for people from India's northeastern states residing in other regions of the country. The tragedy has reignited long-standing conversations around discrimination and vulnerability faced by individuals from the Northeast in metropolitan cities, with many civil society groups and cultural organisations calling for stronger legal safeguards and awareness campaigns. As the investigation continues, officials in both Delhi and Manipur are expected to remain under sustained public pressure to ensure transparency and accountability in the case. Singh's family, along with members of Manipur's cultural and musical community, have reiterated their demand for justice, describing the incident as a profound loss not only for their family but for the state's artistic heritage as a whole.

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