The sudden death of Assam’s beloved singer and cultural icon, Zubeen Garg, has left the state in shock and mourning. Zubeen passed away on September 19 while swimming at Lazarus Island in Singapore. While initial reports suggested a scuba diving accident, his wife, Garima Saikia Garg, clarified that he had a seizure during a swim, not a diving mishap.
According to her, Zubeen had gone into the water twice that day—first with a life jacket and company, and later alone. It was during the second swim that he reportedly suffered the seizure and was declared dead at Singapore General Hospital at 2:30 pm.
The official cause of death was listed as drowning, but doubts quickly began to spread. Fans, family, and the public demanded answers, pointing fingers at the organisers of the Northeast India Festival, where Zubeen was scheduled to perform. Over 60 FIRs have been filed across Assam, alleging negligence and seeking a deeper investigation, as per media reports.
In response to the growing public outcry, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident thoroughly. A second postmortem was conducted in Guwahati, and viscera samples are being sent to the Central Forensic Laboratory in Delhi.
Zubeen was cremated on September 24 with full state honours, as thousands gathered to pay their last respects. His passing has left a void in Assamese music and culture that will be hard to fill.
