The Assam government on Saturday declared a three-day state mourning and announced a probe into the circumstances surrounding the death of popular singer Zubeen Garg, in whose memory shops and establishments across Guwahati remained closed.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he would personally receive Garg’s body in New Delhi and accompany it to Guwahati on Sunday morning.
Zubeen, 52, best known for hits such as Ya Ali, had travelled to Singapore on Wednesday to perform at The North East Festival scheduled from September 19 to 21.
Garg reportedly experienced breathlessness and a seizure while doing watersports on a yacht trip into the sea. He was given CPR and rushed to Singapore General Hospital, where he was declared dead around 2.50pm IST on Friday.
Singaporean authorities have completed the postmortem, after which the body was handed over to Garg’s associates in the presence of Indian embassy officials.
“There are reports that the singer was taken to a party the night before his death and we are trying to ascertain its veracity. Assam Police will probe the death and all those present in his last moments will be interrogated,” Sarma told reporters.
He confirmed that multiple FIRs had been filed against the festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta and Garg’s manager, Siddhartha Sharma.
“I have directed the DGP, Assam Police, to transfer all FIRs to the CID and register a consolidated case for a thorough investigation,” he wrote in a post on X.
Sarma added that Singaporean authorities were also conducting an investigation. “Since the place of occurrence is not India, we will get the criminal part, if any, from that country. If he was taken from Assam with a wrong intent, that aspect will be investigated by the state,” he said.
Assam chief secretary Ravi Kota said the three-day state mourning would be observed across the state.
Shops and establishments in Guwahati remained shut on Saturday as a mark of respect to the late singer.
“The state government will impartially ascertain all aspects related to his death. This matter should become absolutely clear to the people of the state so that nothing is hidden regarding the popular singer’s demise,” Sarma said.