Delhi Police to file chargesheet in 8-9 days in killing of Manipuri musician: Rijiju

Delhi Police will file a chargesheet within eight to nine days in the killing of Manipuri musician C Vikram Singh in south Delhi, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on September 8.

Rijiju said he had spoken to senior Delhi Police officers, including those handling cases concerning people from the Northeast, and was personally monitoring the investigation.

“Police have assured me that the chargesheet will be filed within eight-nine days,” Rijiju told reporters, adding that investigators would leave no stone unturned to build a strong case against the accused.

Singh, a 54-year-old musician from Manipur who had been living in Kilokari village for several years, died after he was allegedly assaulted by a group of delivery workers and dhaba staff in the early hours of Monday.

According to police, Singh had objected to a group of men allegedly shouting and drinking outside his apartment. He was allegedly beaten and punched during the altercation and suffered serious injuries. His son Yaiphaba took him to Holy Family Hospital, where he later died.

Police have arrested seven men and apprehended a juvenile 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, Mannu, 26, and a juvenile. Police said they worked at different dhabas and food stalls.

Rijiju called Singh’s death “very unfortunate” and demanded the “strictest possible, severe punishment” for those responsible. He said the accused, who hail from states including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, were tracked down after fleeing the scene.

The minister said Delhi Police officials were in touch with Singh’s family and arrangements had been made to fly his mortal remains to Imphal on Wednesday.

On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raising concerns over the safety of people from the Northeast, Rijiju said the incident should not be politicised.

“This is not the time for politics. When such an incident takes place, and someone dies in such a tragedy, we should talk about taking immediate action,” he said.

Rijiju said a special Delhi Police unit dealing with issues concerning people from the Northeast was coordinating the investigation. He added that mechanisms were in place to ensure a quick police response to such incidents.

According to police, the Sunlight Colony police station received a PCR call regarding the assault on Singh. A preliminary inquiry found that Singh, who belonged to the Meitei community, had objected to a group of men allegedly creating a nuisance outside his residence.

Rijiju said the entire Northeast was upset over Singh’s death, but stressed that “every life is precious” and the incident should concern all Indians.