Manipur musician killed in Delhi after dispute
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Chongtham Vikram Singh, a 54-year-old guitarist from Manipur, India, was killed in Delhi’s Kilokari village after he protested noise coming from a nearby group on Monday.
Singh built a career as a pioneering rock guitarist in Manipur, and later taught music in Delhi for nearly two decades. Friends and colleagues remember him as a kind and helpful person who was well-liked. Singh came from a musical family.
His mother, Chongtham Kamala, is a celebrated singer in Manipur, known as the “Lata Mangeshkar of Manipur” for her work in early Manipuri cinema and radio. He began his musical journey as a child, accompanying her to All India Radio (AIR) and even becoming an approved AIR artist himself, playing the accordion. After forming the band Ultra Vires as a teenager, Singh studied classical guitar at Trinity School of Music in Kolkata.
He later moved to Delhi, teaching at multiple music schools and mentoring students while continuing to perform with bands like Fubar Ghetto and alongside folk musician Mame Khan. Following the killing, musicians and family members held a candlelight vigil at Kangla fort in Imphal, demanding justice. Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh asked Delhi officials to investigate the death and increase security for people from Manipur and other northeastern states living in Delhi.
