The men were allegedly intoxicated and creating a ruckus outside Singh's house around 11pm. According to his family, Singh, 55, went downstairs to stop them. A few minutes later, his son, 20-year-old Yaiphaba, heard Singh banging on the door and screaming, "Thong hango! Thong hango! (open the door, open the door)."
Yaiphaba found his father in a semi-conscious state with his T-shirt ripped apart. Singh 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.
Singh had spent years playing lead guitar for bands in Manipur before moving to Delhi nearly 20 years ago and building his life around his passion for 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. Jyotsana works as a senior consultant with an MNC, while Yaiphaba is a law student. Singh's mother, 86-year-old Chongtham Ongbi Kamala Devi, is a renowned classical and modern Manipuri singer.
Speaking 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 that although the postmortem was over, they did not want Singh's body to be sent back to Manipur until 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, seeking justice following the alleged attack that claimed the life of the 55-year-old musician.
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