Picture : ANI/X
The North East state of Manipur has seen troubled times with the ethnic clashed between Kuki and Meitei groups in 2023 . The otherwise normal state saw violence that grapped the attention of the whole nation . Despite the Godi media’s refusal to accpet the crisis in the state , the truth has now come out . And it has come viewers from Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam who told the assembly on September 3 the grim numbers – At least 306 people have been killed, and 49 are still missingas of August 31, 2026 in the ethnic violence that broke out in May 2023.
The violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities started on May 3, 2023, after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribes status.
Tasked with the job of restoring normalcy and developing trust among people , Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh has been candid enopugh to admit the ethnic clashes of 2023 had changed the situation of the state fundamentally. The chief minister insisted that the main task is to handle the prevailing trust deficit . And he has a road- map planned as to how to go about it . Reportedly Singh said it could not be overcome merely through discussions or rhetoric but required sustained interaction, dialogue and understanding among communities. Stating that restoration of peace is the foremost priority, Singh said the government would not compromise on this objective and that justice would be delivered to the victims.
So while the govenment is trying to get the people’s trust in right earnest . The last thing that the people needed was another incident to reginte the distrust . The tragic killing of 54- year old Manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh , after objecting to noise outside his home in Delhi has sent shockwaves . The accused all eight have been arrested . But that has not reduced the anger among the people of the state .
On September 7, the accused allegedly entered the building, chased Singh up three floors, and brutally assaulted him with kicks and blows. The FIR says Singh’s wife later identified the accused as men who had earlier threatened her husband. In a statement to the police, the deceased’s son said he heard his father shouting from outside, and when he opened the door of the house and looked outside, four or five boys were kicking and punching him. He said he saw the faces of the accused.
This is not the first time people of North East have found themselves on the receiving end . It is often repeated and and makes news for a while and then vanishes from Prime Time Debates . For the record. In February 2026 , three women hailing from Arunachal Pradesh were subjected to racial slur , humiliation , intimidation and even termed “Dhandhewali” by their neighbours in Malviya Nagar.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has been very vocal about the mistreatment of the people of North east in others Indian cities and had expressed his deep anguish over the incidents . on the tragic death of manipuri musician Chongtham Vikram Singh , Sangma took to x and wrote, Disturbed by the assault incident that led to the tragic demise of musician Chongtham Vikram Singh from Manipur in Delhi. This incident has once again reopened the painful wounds of atrocities faced by people from the North East in the capital.
Disturbed by the assault incident that led to the tragic demise of musician Chongtham Vikram Singh from Manipur in Delhi.
This incident has once again reopened the painful wounds of atrocities faced by people from the North East in the capital.
Call upon the authorities and…
— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) September 8, 2026
Leader of the Oppostion in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi was more scathing in his comments and posed questions for Home Minister Amit Shah and the Depli police as he wrote on x, What are Shah’s MHA and Delhi Police doing to stop this growing lawlessness, especially against people from the Northeast?
Chongtham Vikram Singh ji, a renowned musician from Manipur, went downstairs to ask some men to lower the noise outside his home. He was beaten to death for it.
A father, killed outside his own home, in his own country’s capital. After many such incidents, every Northeast family…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 8, 2026
Mallikarjun Kharge, Conhgress president wrote on x hitting out at the BJP government on x tagging the newspaper report, The merciless lynching of Chongtham Vikram Singh ji, a well-known musician from Manipur, by a mob is yet another chilling reminder of the utter lawlessness under the BJP. Students are unsafe. Women face atrocities every day. People from Northeast India face discrimination. Dalits, Adivasis and minorities remain highly vulnerable. Under HM Amit Shah’s watch, Delhi has become a crime capital, with the NCRB recording highest levels of crimes in the national capital year after year.
The merciless lynching of Chongtham Vikram Singh ji, a well-known musician from Manipur, by a mob is yet another chilling reminder of the utter lawlessness under the BJP.
Students are unsafe. Women face atrocities every day. People from Northeast India face discrimination.… pic.twitter.com/uGfjNCYvbn
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) September 8, 2026
Hailing from Arunachal Pradesh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju took to x and expressed sadness over the incident on x , I am deeply distressed by the tragic demise of Chongtham Vikram Singh ji from Manipur. The safety & dignity of every person from North-East & every Indian is non negotiable. My heartfelt condolences to Vikram ji’s family & loved ones. May they find strength in this tragic loss.
I am deeply distressed by the tragic demise of Chongtham Vikram Singh ji from Manipur. The safety & dignity of every person from North-East & every Indian is non negotiable.
My heartfelt condolences to Vikram ji’s family & loved ones. May they find strength in this tragic loss. pic.twitter.com/8cPTaNiuDd— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) September 8, 2026
There was interestingly no Tweet on the Chongtham Vikram Singh’s killing from Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister Amit Shah. Both of them were spontaneous when Assamese Singer Zubeen Garg passed away after tragic accident ( drowning ) in Singapore September 19, 2025 . Moreover, the usually prompt in lashing out at the Congress/ opposition and holding press conferences BJP’s North East in- charge spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra has not addressed the media as of now on the killing of Chongtham Vikram Singh. This is certainly not the way Centre can regain trust among people of Manipur . The slogan – SABKA SAATH SABKA VIKAS SABKA VISHWAS clearly needs to do more than just rhetoric.
