Delhi Police have arrested seven people including a juvenile in connection with the murder of a Manipuri musician, even as protests erupted in the national capital over the gruesome crime.
Vikram Singh, 54, who had been residing in Kilokari village in southeast Delhi for several years, 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 on Monday morning.
According to police, Singh’s son, Yaiphaba, rushed him to Holy Family Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Those arrested have been identified as Bharat Kumar, 19; Pramod, 26; Ramzan Khan, 22; Deepanshu, 21; Mohan Vishwakarma, 32; Vijay, 36; Mannu, 26; and the juvenile.
On Monday night, people from Manipur held a protest and candlelight march in Delhi, demanding justice and strict action against those responsible.
The North East Students Society, Delhi University (NESSDU), condoled Singh’s death and described him as a “respected Manipuri musician”.
“According to reports, Singh went downstairs from his residence in Kilokari, New Delhi, after a group of six men were allegedly drinking and creating a disturbance outside his apartment. When he requested them to lower the noise, he was reportedly attacked by the group and sustained severe injuries, to which he later succumbed,” the students’ body said.
NESSDU described the incident as a “senseless act of violence” and urged the authorities to ensure a “swift, fair, and thorough investigation” and hold those responsible accountable.
A relative of Singh, who belonged to the Meitei community, told ANI that he was assaulted so brutally that he was left unable to move. She said Singh was rushed to hospital, where doctors found his condition to be extremely critical.
Police have obtained CCTV footage of the incident and launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the assault and Singh’s death.
