New Delhi: The accused in the killing of Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh in southeast Delhi allegedly wanted to “teach him a lesson” for objecting to noise outside his home by beating him, but did not expect the assault to turn fatal, police said on Wednesday, September 9.
During questioning, the accused allegedly told the police that they assaulted the 54-year-old musician with fists and blows after he objected to the commotion outside his residence in Kilokari, according to the police.
Singh had on some occasions complained to the owner of a nearby dhaba about the noise caused by people gathering there, a senior police officer said. However, the police had not received any formal complaint from Singh regarding the noise.
The dhaba remained open until around midnight and attracted customers from neighbouring areas as well as students living in the vicinity, they said.
Police probing racial angle
The police said they were examining all aspects of the case, including whether there was any racial angle. So far, the investigation has not revealed any instance of racial slur being used against Singh during the altercation, a police source said.
The first information report (FIR) registered at Sunlight Colony police station on the complaint of Singh’s son mentions section 103(2) (Murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, pertaining to group murder in circumstances covered by the provision.
The police are awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the exact nature of injuries sustained by Singh. Prima facie, it appears that he sustained internal injuries which led to the death.
Incident from Sunday
The incident took place around 11.30 pm on Sunday when Singh went downstairs after hearing a commotion outside his home. According to the complaint, when his son heard his father shouting, he opened the door and saw a group of men kicking and punching him.
Singh subsequently returned upstairs but complained of breathlessness and was taken to Holy Family Hospital by his 20-year-old son Yaiphaba. He succumbed to his injuries around 6 am the following day, the police said.
1 juvenile, 7 arrested
Seven men have been arrested and a juvenile apprehended 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), the police said.
The police are also examining the role of the dhaba owner and its operations. So far, no irregularity in the functioning of the establishment has come to light, sources said, adding that action would be taken against the owner if anything emerges during the investigation.
The police are scrutinising CCTV footage and questioning witnesses to establish the sequence of events and the circumstances leading to the assault.
The killing has sparked concern among members of Delhi’s northeastern community, with several residents alleging that people from the region face racial slurs and discrimination in the national capital.
Singh, who had lived in Kilokari for more than two decades, was a well-known musician and guitarist. He was the lead guitarist of the Manipur rock band Phoenix in the early 1980s and later worked as a music teacher and performer in Delhi.
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