NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: Chongtham Vikram Singh was a gifted guitarist who had spent years turning music into his language, playing lead guitar for bands in Manipur before moving to Delhi nearly 20 years ago and building a life around his passion. On Sunday night, his music fell silent after he was allegedly beaten mercilessly by eight people outside his home. He died during treatment around 6.30am Monday.The men were allegedly intoxicated and creating a ruckus outside the house around 11pm. According to Singh’s family, he went downstairs to stop them. A few minutes later, Singh (55) was heard banging on the door and screaming, “Thong hango! Thong hango! (open the door, open the door).”His son, 20-year-old Yaiphaba, found Singh in a semi-conscious state, with his T-shirt ripped apart. He was rushed to Holy Family Hospital, where doctors found that his blood pressure had fallen below 50mm Hg. His condition was too critical for surgery and he died Monday morning.A resident of Thangmeiband Lourung Purel Leikai in Imphal West, Singh opened a music school in Delhi, mentored students at home and also taught at Delhi School of Music. His musical journey took him to the Rock’n’Roots project, where he collaborated with Rajasthani folk singer Mame Khan. He also collaborated with other renowned musicians for cultural shows and concerts.Singh, a cousin of Lakshmipriya Devi, the director of India’s first BAFTA Award-winning film, Boong, is survived by his wife Jyotsana (54) and son Yaiphaba. While Jyotsana works as a senior consultant with an MNC, Yaiphaba is a law student. Singh’s mother, 86-year-old Chongtham Ongbi Kamala Devi, is a renowned classical and modern Manipuri singer.Talking to TOI from Imphal, Singh’s brother, Vivek, said, “We haven’t told our father, Dr Chongtham Birendra Singh, who is 96, about it, fearing that he might not be able to bear the loss. My mother is unconsolable.”Friends remembered Singh as a gentle and accomplished musician who was passionate about his craft.Manipuri associations in Delhi said though the postmortem was over, they didn’t want the body to be sent back to Manipur till justice was done. “Once the last rites are over, only the family bears the loss, and the incident fades into oblivion,” a Manipuri activist in Delhi said. Northeast student groups, friends and family members staged a protest outside Sunlight Colony police station.
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