Popular Manipuri Guitarist Beaten to Death in Delhi; Candlelight March Seeks Swift Action

A 54-year-old Manipuri guitarist and music teacher died after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of eight people outside his rented home in southeast Delhi’s Kilokari village late Sunday night, police said Monday.

Seven men have been arrested and a 15-year-old boy apprehended in connection with the case, police said.

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

According to Manipuri social activist B Ruchida Sharma, who works with people from the Northeast in Delhi, Chongtham went downstairs around 11.30pm to throw out garbage when he noticed a group of workers from two nearby dhabas allegedly shouting and creating a disturbance.

An argument reportedly broke out after Chongtham objected to the commotion. Sharma said he then ran towards his home, but the group followed him into the building.

“They chased him to the third floor, overpowered him in the corridor and rained blows on him before fleeing,” Sharma said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Vineet Kumar said Sunlight Colony police station received information about the assault at 1.38am on Monday.

Chongtham was taken to a private hospital in Okhla by his family, where he died during treatment at around 7am, Sharma said.

Police registered a case under Sections 103(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Section 103(2) deals with murder committed by a group of five or more people acting in concert on specified grounds, while Section 3(5) concerns acts carried out by several people in furtherance of a common intention.

Investigators examined CCTV footage, technical surveillance and local intelligence to identify the suspects. Seven adults were arrested and the juvenile was apprehended.

The arrested men were identified as Bharat Kumar, 19, Pramod, 26, Ramzan Khan, 22, Vijay, 36, Deepanshu, 21, Mohan Vishwakarma, 32, and Mannu, 26. Police said four worked as delivery workers and two as packaging workers at the nearby dhabas, while Mannu worked at a pizza kiosk.

Nearly 100 people from the Northeast gathered in Kilokari village on Monday evening for a candlelight march demanding swift action in the case.

Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh also called on Delhi Police to conduct a thorough investigation.

“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,” Singh wrote on X.

“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,” he added.