New Delhi, September 08, 2026

The death of 54-year-old Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh following a late-night assault in Delhi has drawn attention to how a dispute over noise allegedly escalated into a fatal attack. Singh, who had worked as a private music teacher in Delhi for nearly 17 years, was reportedly chased into his apartment building and beaten by a group of eight men. Seven adults have been arrested, while a 15-year-old boy has also been apprehended in connection with the case.

At around 11:30 pm on Sunday, Singh came down from his third-floor flat in Kilokari village to dispose of garbage, according to B Ruchida Sharma, a Manipuri social activist who works with people from the Northeast in Delhi. Singh reportedly noticed workers associated with two nearby dhabas making noise outside his residence. After he objected to the shouting and disturbance, an argument broke out. The confrontation allegedly escalated when Singh tried to return to his apartment, with the group reportedly chasing him to the third floor.

“They chased him to the third floor, overpowered him in the corridor and rained blows on him before fleeing,” Sharma said. Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh also shared CCTV footage from the building on X and called for a thorough investigation. The footage reportedly shows eight men coming down the staircase, apparently after the alleged assault. “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,” Singh said.

The Delhi Police received a call about the assault at 1:38 am on Monday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Vineet Kumar said. Singh's son took him to a private hospital in Okhla, but he later died at around 7 am while undergoing treatment, Sharma said. Police subsequently launched an investigation and used CCTV footage, technical surveillance and local intelligence to trace those allegedly involved. 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 of the accused worked as delivery workers and two as packaging workers at nearby dhabas, while Mannu was employed at a pizza kiosk. A case has been registered under Sections 103(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The incident, which allegedly began with an objection to loud music and noise, ultimately claimed the life of a musician who had spent years teaching music in Delhi. With arrests made and CCTV footage reportedly supporting the investigation, the authorities now face the task of establishing the complete sequence of events and the individual responsibility of those accused in the fatal assault.