00:00We go straight across to Sangeeta Keshem. She's a social activist and a neighbor of Vikram Singh. Appreciate, Sangeeta, you
00:06joining us. You were outside the police station earlier. You tell us, Sangeeta, what do you know about this incident?
00:13What really happened?
00:17Actually, sir, this incident happened day before yesterday, around 11.30, between 11.30 to 12. Normally, he used to
00:25go down after dinner for a walk, sometimes for a walk or sometimes to throw the dustbin.
00:30So that day also, he went down. And because of that, as it's being a normal routine for him, his
00:38family, like his family members, his wife and his son, are not aware that he was not inside the home.
00:45Then at that time, they were, they could hear some sound near their houses. It was sound like, something like,
00:58you know, some people are climbing up their staircase, running towards their houses.
01:04Then all of a sudden, they could hear, that madam could hear her husband speaking in Manipuri to open the
01:14door.
01:14Then they ran away and opened the door. Then they found out that Mr. Vikram was laying there and eight
01:20of them were attacking him.
01:22So did they actually see him getting attacked by this mob? They saw Vikram being attacked by this mob when
01:29they opened the door?
01:33Yes. Then after that, sisal, then after sisal, then only eight of them, they ran away.
01:42You know, you knew Vikram very well. Was he a kind of person who would have ever got into these
01:48kind of fights? Was he a man of peace?
01:53That's true, sir. And again, he was around, his age was around 54, 55. And again, he was a music
02:00lover.
02:01Then because of the age factor and because he being an artist, he was more into like calmness. And he
02:08was very, he was a very calm person, sir.
02:11You know, we're seeing the images of those people trying to run away. That's on CCTV.
02:15I mean, I can imagine, ma'am, his wife and son must have been totally terrified by what happened because
02:21they have, this is a family that has lived in this area in the national capital for several years. Am
02:26I right?
02:29Yes, yes. While his son was on his third standard, they shifted to that area. Then now his son is
02:37in graduation third semester and still they are there only. So they are very familiar with that location.
02:45Why did none of the neighbors try and help him? Did nobody try and help him when Vikram Singh was
02:51being chased and hit like this?
02:55Actually, it happens around 11, 30 to 12. Maybe because mostly at that time, people used to be inside their
03:02house and they were not expecting this type of thing to be happened in that location.
03:06So maybe they were just avoiding that. It might be a normal sound which normally used to happen there in
03:12that place, maybe.
03:14You know, but there's a lot of anger, presumably among the Manipuri community in Delhi over what has happened.
03:19Manipur politicians are getting involved, speaking out. Rahul Gandhi has spoken out. Is there a sense of fear and anger
03:26among the Manipuris as a result of what has happened, ma'am?
03:33See, like anger is, definitely anger is there because these things are happening again and again to our communities. It's
03:41happening again and again.
03:42So, like somewhere it has to be stopped. Earlier also it happens in Malbiyanagar side also. Now, this type of
03:50racism, I will say, this type of racism we are facing again and again, which is not acceptable to us.
03:55We are also Indian. So the protection the other Indians are getting, we also should get that protection.
04:01You know, you are using the word racism. Do you feel targeted in some way as a Manipuri? You have
04:06lived in Delhi also, Sangeeta, for a long time. Do you feel that because you are from Manipur or from
04:11the North East, you get targeted easily?
04:15Maybe? Maybe because of our looks or maybe because of our, this one, our history is a little bit different
04:20from the, from the other, maybe from the others. So, like, yes, always people used to call us Chinese, disciples,
04:28so many terms they use for us.
04:31But, sir, you are an Indian. I'm also an Indian as much as you are an Indian, sir.
04:38Of course, you are as much as an Indian as I am. I, you know, we are proud of the,
04:43the Manipuris and the contribution they've made to the country.
04:46What do you expect the police now to do, given the fact that all the eight people have been identified
04:51and they've been arrested?
04:55They have been, we have heard that they have been arrested and they were put inside, like, what we want
05:01is that, you know, this punishment.
05:02We want to show an example this time, that this, this time we give the punishment, a severe punishment we
05:11want to give to them.
05:12And if they, then only there will be a fear, a fear to the, to those persons who wants to,
05:17like, you know, attack or who wants to mock of the North East people.
05:22What is your message, though, ma'am, to the people of Delhi, to the people of India, to the neighbours
05:27of Vikram, to those who, you know, are close to him?
05:31What would you like to tell the people of India today?
05:36That, particularly in that area, I would like to say that all the, all the neighbours are not bad.
05:40But the things, if the things happen like this, then we all need to stand together.
05:45Then only, we feel safe only when they, they stood with us.
05:50I appreciate, Sangeeta, you joining us.
05:52That was Sangeeta Keshav speaking to me outside the police station earlier this evening.
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