Manipur musician killing: NESO demands arrest of perpetrators

SHILLONG, SEP 9 (PTI): North Eastern Students’ Organisation (NESO) on Wednesday condemned the killing of 54-year-old Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh in Southeast Delhi and demanded a swift and impartial probe into the incident.
Singh was beaten to death by a group of delivery workers and dhaba staff when he objected to their shouting and drinking alcohol outside his Kilokari village apartment early Monday. NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said the incident was deeply disturbing and demanded that all those responsible be brought to justice.
“It is deeply disturbing that a person can lose his life merely for raising an objection to disturbance outside his own home. We demand a transparent and impartial investigation and exemplary punishment for every person found responsible,” Jyrwa said in a statement here.
He said the killing cannot be viewed in isolation from the continuing harassment, racial discrimination, stereotyping, intimidation and violence faced by people from the Northeast in different parts of mainland India.
“For years, Northeastern citizens living, studying and working outside the region have repeatedly reported being subjected to racial slurs, verbal abuse, physical attacks, social discrimination and other forms of humiliation because of their appearance, identity and place of origin,” Jyrwa alleged. Jyrwa called upon the authorities to treat the matter with the utmost seriousness and urgency and ensure that no person responsible for the crime is allowed to evade accountability. “The law must be applied firmly and equally, irrespective of the identity or background of the perpetrators,” he said.
NESO also urged the government and law-enforcement agencies to address the broader problem of racial discrimination and violence against people from the Northeast by strengthening preventive measures, effective enforcement of the law, sensitisation of police and public institutions, and mechanisms to ensure their safety and dignity.
“The loss of Chongtham Vikram Singh is not merely a personal tragedy for his family and loved ones, but a matter of deep concern for the entire Northeastern community,” Jyrwa said. NESO expressed solidarity with the bereaved family and the people of Manipur and demanded justice for Singh and accountability for every person responsible for his death.