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Zubeen Garg death: FIRs against event organiser, Assam police to probe controversy angle
FIR registered at an Assam police station against chief organiser of the Northeast Festival Shyam Kanu Mahanta, his manager Siddhartha Sharma, the CM said.
Singapore authorities have completed the postmortem of singer Zubeen Garg, who passed away on Friday, and his body is expected to reach New Delhi on Saturday, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The 52-year-old had reached Singapore on Wednesday for the Northeast Festival, an annual event scheduled from September 19 to 21, and was set to perform on Saturday.
“His postmortem has been completed and the body was handed over to those who were with him in the presence of Indian embassy officials. The body will be embalmed there before being sent to India. He will reach New Delhi on Saturday night and from there will likely arrive in Guwahati early on Sunday on a chartered flight,” Sarma said in Guwahati.
“I spoke to the High Commissioner of Singapore, His Excellency Simon Wong, and requested a detailed enquiry into the circumstances leading to the untimely demise of our beloved Zubeen Garg. Excellency has assured me of complete cooperation in this regard,” Sarma wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Assam chief secretary Ravi Kota said on X that state mourning has been declared from September 20 to September 22. During this period, there will be no official entertainment, dinners, or ceremonial functions, he said.
Probe to find out if any controversy led to death: Sarma
Multiple First Information Reports (FIR) have been filed against against Shyam Kanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the Northeast Festival, and his manager Siddhartha Sharma, the CM said.
The Ya Ali-famed singer was reportedly on a yacht with a few Assamese based in Singapore and members of his team when he experienced breathlessness and a seizure while swimming. He was given CPR and rushed to Singapore General Hospital, where he was declared dead around 2.50 pm IST on Friday.
“Multiple FIRs have been filed against Shri Syamkanu Mahanta and Shri Sidharth Sarma in connection with the unfortunate and untimely demise of our beloved Zubeen Garg. I have directed the DGP, Assam Police, to transfer all the FIRs to the CID and to register a consolidated case for a thorough investigation," Himanta Biswa Sarma on X,” Sarma said.
The body will first be taken to Garg’s residence in Guwahati, where family members, including his father and wife, will pay their last respects. From there, it will be taken to Sarusajai Stadium, where the remains will be kept for the public to offer their condolences.
“No decision on Garg will be taken by the state government. Any decision on that will be taken after consultations with family and the public. We haven’t taken a call on how long the body will remain on display for the public to have their last view of him. It will depend on the advice of doctors and others on how long the body can be kept for display before the last rites,” said Sarma.
Sarma added that the state government will declare a holiday on the day the last rites of Garg are performed.
“It hasn’t been decided yet on when and where the cremation will take place. Any decision on whether his remains will be taken to his hometown Jorhat will be taken after consultations with family, his close associates, and organisations,” he said.
