The Assam Congress on Tuesday questioned the safety of people from the Northeast living in Delhi after a 54-year-old Manipuri musician was beaten to death outside his residence in Kilokari village, and demanded strict action against those responsible.
Chongtham Bikram (Vikram) Singh died after a group of delivery workers and dhaba staff allegedly assaulted him when he objected to them shouting and drinking alcohol outside his apartment early Monday, officials said. Police have arrested seven men and apprehended a juvenile in connection with the incident.
Senior Congress leader and former Assam Assembly Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia said the killing raised serious concerns about the security of people from the Northeast in the national capital.
He described the incident as “not just the murder of a renowned artist” but a reflection of what he called the “appalling lack of security” faced by people from the region living in Delhi.
“Is Delhi really safe for the people of the Northeast? The innocent artist who once brought guitar strings to life has been brutally beaten to death by a group of miscreants right outside his own home in Delhi,” Saikia said in a social media post.
Saikia described Singh as a pioneer of Manipur’s rock music movement and said he had been the lead guitarist of bands including Ultra Vires, Phoenix and Eastern Dark.
He alleged that people from the Northeast who migrate to other parts of the country for education and employment are frequently subjected to racism and physical violence.
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