Shirish Kunder on Manipuri Musician's Death: 'Violent Entitlement' Now 'Local Authority'

Filmmaker Shirish Kunder has spoken out against what he calls a "growing culture of violence" following the death of a Manipuri musician in Delhi. In a post on X, Kunder did not name the victim but appeared to reference the incident, writing: "When a man asks for a little peace and quiet, the mob ensures he gets it permanently. We haven't just lost our civic sense; we've made violent entitlement our only functioning local authority."

Chongtham Vikram Singh, a 54-year-old guitarist and music teacher, died after an alleged assault by a group of men in the Sunlight Colony area of Kilokari village in southeast Delhi. According to the police FIR, Singh had objected to noise outside his home in the Ashram area, after which the men allegedly abused and threatened him. The accused reportedly entered the building, chased Singh up three floors, and assaulted him with kicks and blows.

Singh's wife identified the accused as men who had previously threatened her husband. Police have also retrieved CCTV footage showing the alleged attackers leaving the building after the assault. Singh was taken to Holy Family Hospital, where he died during treatment. Eight people, including a juvenile, have been arrested in connection with the case.

The death has triggered grief in Manipur and among the Manipuri community in Delhi, with family members and fellow musicians raising concerns about the safety and dignity of people from the Northeast.