Accountability, not revenge: Wife of murdered Manipur musician seeks justice

The wife of Manipur-origin musician C Vikram Singh on Tuesday said his murder had left a void that no words could fill, as she appealed for justice and stressed that she and her family were seeking accountability, not revenge.

With her voice welling with emotion, she urged the authorities to ensure a fair and impartial investigation and hold everyone responsible for her husband’s death accountable under the law.

“We ask the authority to ensure our fair and impartial investigation and to hold everyone responsible and accountable under the law. We are not seeking revenge. We are seeking justice. He had a name, a family and a life that mattered. We ask only that his memory be respected. Our grief be given dignity and justice be done,” Singh's wife, Joshna Chongtham, said while addressing reporters on Tuesday.

The broad daylight murder of Vikram Singh, allegedly by delivery executives in front of his residence in New Delhi on Sunday night, has shocked the national capital.

“I am still struggling to come to terms with the loss of my husband, Vikram Chongtham. He was my husband, my child’s father, a son and a brother, a musician, and a person deeply loved by my family, friends and relatives,” she said, urging the authorities to ensure that no other family has to suffer the same fate as hers.

The 54-year-old Singh died after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of men in Kilokari village near Ashram in south-east Delhi following a dispute over alleged noise and nuisance outside his residence, police said on Monday.

Police said Singh, a known name in Manipur’s Western music scene, had objected to alleged shouting and nuisance by delivery workers and dhaba staff operating opposite his house. He was later taken to Holy Family Hospital by his son, Yaiphaba, where he succumbed to his injuries.

According to police, Singh came downstairs from the third floor of his house at around 11.30 pm on Sunday to dispose of garbage. He then got into an argument with some boys standing outside. The boys were making noise, and when he asked them to stop, the argument escalated.

Police said Singh then returned to his home, but the group followed him and allegedly confronted and assaulted him by punching and kicking him. Hearing the commotion, Singh’s son came out, after which the boys fled.

A CCTV footage from the incident showed a group of eight men leaving the apartment building after the assault. Police arrested Bharat Kumar, 19, Pramod, 26, Ramzan Khan, 22, Deepanshu, 21, Mohan Vishwakarma, 32, Vijay, 36, Mannu, 26, and one juvenile. Officials said all the accused work at different dhabas and food stalls.

Police said they are ascertaining the circumstances surrounding the assault and Singh’s death, and further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation. Delhi Police later said necessary legal action is being taken as per law and further facts will be established during the investigation.

Singh was a well-known figure in Manipur’s Western music scene. He had played guitar with bands such as Ultra Vires, Phoenix and Eastern Dark, and was the eldest son of renowned Manipuri singer Chongtham Kamala.

Condoling his death, former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said he was deeply concerned over the incident and urged Delhi Police to take swift action. He also shared CCTV footage purportedly showing the assailants. Writing on X, he said, “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.” He added, “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.”

Following the incident, members of the Northeast community and civil society organisations gathered at Sunlight Colony Police Station, demanding that all those involved be identified and legal action be taken against them. The North East Students’ Society, Delhi University, also condemned the alleged assault and sought a swift and unbiased inquiry.

Some community members alleged that the assault may have been racially motivated. However, police said no such motive had been established so far and that both the motive and the circumstances surrounding the assault were still being examined. Police said Singh’s death is being investigated and further facts will be established during the probe.

MANIPUR CM WRITES TO DELHI CM SEEKING SWIFT JUSTICE

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Tuesday condemned the killing of Chongtham Vikram, a musician and music teacher from Manipur, following a brutal assault at his residence in Kilokri, New Delhi, and urged the Delhi government to ensure a fair and time-bound investigation.

Expressing deep sorrow over Vikram’s death, the Chief Minister termed the incident “senseless and brutal” and said no person should have to face violence or lose their life while simply seeking peace in their neighbourhood.

Khemchand Singh said the incident was a painful reminder of the safety concerns faced by people from the Northeast living, studying and working in the national capital. He stressed that such incidents should not be treated as isolated cases.

The Chief Minister has also written to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, requesting a fair, time-bound and high-level investigation under the direct supervision of senior police officers.

He urged the Delhi authorities to apprehend all those involved in the incident, including the perpetrators and alleged conspirators, without delay and ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Khemchand Singh also called for strengthened security measures in localities with significant populations of students and working professionals from Manipur and other northeastern states to ensure their safety.

The Chief Minister conveyed his condolences to Vikram’s family, friends and loved ones, as well as to the wider Manipuri and Northeast community, and said his thoughts were with them during the hour of grief.