Guwahati: Strongly condemning the “senseless and brutal” killing of Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh, Manipur CM Y Khemchand Singh on Tuesday said the incident was a painful reminder of the safety concerns faced by people from the northeast living in the national capital. In a letter to Delhi CM Rekha Gupta, Singh urged a fair, time-bound, high-level probe.Manipur CM sought enhanced security in localities with a significant population from the northeastern region and Manipur while mourning the tragic death of Manipuri musician and music teacher Chongtham Vikram following a brutal assault at his Kilokri residence in New Delhi.In a statement, CM said no one should have to face such violence or lose their life simply for seeking peace in their own neighbourhood. “The tragic incident is a painful reminder of the safety concerns faced by people from the northeast who live, study and work in the national capital,” Khemchand Singh said, stressing that such incidents must not be treated as isolated cases.In his letter, Khemchand Singh sought a fair, transparent and time-bound investigation under the direct supervision of senior police officers. He also called for the swift apprehension and prosecution of all those involved.CM expressed condolences to Vikram Singh’s family, friends and the wider Manipuri and northeastern community.Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma also condemned the killing. “This incident has once again reopened the painful wounds of atrocities faced by people from the northeast in the capital. Call upon the authorities and @DelhiPolice to ensure those responsible are dealt with the strictest consequences,” Sangma wrote in a social media post on Tuesday.Senior Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia described the killing as not only the murder of an eminent artist but also “a terrifying reflection of the pathetic state of insecurity faced by the people of the northeast in the country’s capital city”.“The direct responsibility for maintaining law and order in Delhi lies with the central ministry of home affairs. I want to ask Union home minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi — why are Delhi Police and your administration repeatedly failing to provide security to the people of the northeast?” Saikia asked in a social media post.
