Imphal, Sep 10 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Wednesday assured the family members of musician Chongtham Vikram Singh, who succumbed to his injuries in Delhi on September 7 following an alleged brutal assault, that justice would be delivered and those responsible for the crime would be punished.
The Chief Minister on Thursday visited the residence of late Vikram Singh at Thangmeiband Lourung Purel Leikai in Imphal West and spoke to the victim’s family members.
A senior official of the Chief Minister’s Office said that while speaking to the family members of the slain musician, Chief Minister Singh assured them that justice would be delivered and that the perpetrators would be punished for the killing of a renowned music teacher.
Chief Minister Singh expressed profound sorrow over the incident, which claimed the life of an innocent person who had done no wrong.
The Chief Minister personally met and spoke to the deceased’s parents, wife and son and assured the bereaved family of extending all possible assistance and support from the government side.
Fifty four-year-old Chongtham Vikram Singh, a respected guitarist and music teacher from Manipur, succumbed to his injuries following a brutal assault at his residence in Kilokri village in New Delhi on September 7. He is survived by his wife, son and parents.
During the Chief Minister’s visit, MLA from Thangmeiband Assembly constituency Khumukcham Joykisan Singh, was also present.
The last rites of Chongtham Vikram Singh were performed in Imphal on Wednesday after his mortal remains were flown in from Delhi around noon.
Speaking to the media, the slain musician’s brother, Chongtham Vivek, said his death had caused profound grief to the family and people across Manipur, besides being a major loss to the music fraternity.
He called for strict punishment for those responsible and urged the authorities to complete the investigation and legal proceedings at the earliest.
“It was a very sad and painful moment for people in the state and across the country,” Vivek said, adding that his brother’s death was not only a loss for the family but also for the entire music fraternity.
A large number of organisations and individuals, including the Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), have condemned the killing, describing it as a possible racist attack and calling for a thorough investigation into the alleged racial motive behind the incident.
Manipur Chief Minister on September 8 urged his Delhi counterpart Rekha Gupta to expedite a high-level probe into the alleged murder of the musician and ensure stringent prosecution of the accused.
Manipur Chief Minister Singh urged CM Rekha Gupta to ensure that the investigation was conducted expeditiously and that those responsible for the killing were brought to justice through stringent prosecution.
“Should circumstances warrant, the feasibility of transferring the case to an independent, specialised agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) be proactively explored to reinforce complete public confidence,” Manipur CM said in his letter to Delhi CM.
Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju earlier assured that strict action would be taken against those accused in the alleged murder.
Rijiju said he had spoken to the Delhi Police, which had assured him that a strong chargesheet in the case would be filed within two weeks.
Taking to social media platform X, the Union Minister said he was “deeply distressed” by the tragic demise of Chongtham Vikram Singh and stressed that the safety and dignity of every person from the Northeast, as well as every Indian, was non-negotiable.
He also conveyed his condolences to Vikram Singh’s family and loved ones.
–IANS
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