Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday made a sensational statement in the Assembly, declaring that singer Zubeen Garg’s death in Singapore was not an accident but a “plain and simple murder”. Sarma added that the motive behind the killing would “shock the people of Assam”, though he refrained from sharing further details.
Zubeen Garg, one of Assam’s most beloved musicians who captivated audiences with his Bollywood and Assamese hits, died on September 19 while swimming near an island in Singapore. He had travelled there to perform at the North East India Festival.
Sarma said that after a preliminary investigation, Assam Police concluded the case was not culpable homicide but outright murder. According to him, one accused directly killed the singer while others assisted in the act. So far, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested seven individuals and examined 252 witnesses. Four to five people are expected to be named in the murder case.
Arrests and Theories Surrounding the Case
The case has stirred deep emotion in Assam, leading to multiple arrests, including Zubeen’s manager Siddharth Sharma, festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, and even the singer’s cousin and DSP, Sandipan Garg. Despite the flurry of developments, the motive remains unclear.
Speculation has run rampant, with theories ranging from gross negligence to allegations of poisoning. Zubeen’s bandmate Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, who was detained earlier, claimed the singer’s manager and event organiser poisoned him and intentionally chose a foreign venue to cover it up.
However, Singapore Police have maintained that they found no evidence of foul play. They recently shared Zubeen’s post-mortem and toxicology reports with Assam Police.
Chargesheet Expected in December
The Chief Minister said the murder chargesheet will be filed in December, after which the investigation will widen to examine possible negligence, criminal breach of trust and other offences. “The motive behind the crime will shock the people of the state,” Sarma reiterated.
