“Zubeen Garg’s death was murder, not an accident,” declares Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, vows no escape for perpetrators

Guwahati (The Uttam Hindu): The death of renowned singer Zubeen Garg, considered a prominent voice of Assam and Northeast India, has taken a sensational turn. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made a significant revelation in the Assembly, stating that Zubeen's death was not a simple accident or drowning, but rather a murder. The Chief Minister sternly declared that those involved in this conspiracy will not escape the clutches of the law.

Speaking in the Assam Assembly, Chief Minister Sarma dismissed the Singapore authorities' initial report, which stated drowning as the cause of death. "After the Assam Police's initial investigation, we are confident that this is not a case of culpable homicide, but a simple murder," he said.

The CM claimed that one of the accused carried out Zubin's murder and the others assisted him in doing so. A case is being filed against four to five people.

The Chief Minister also criticized those politicizing the issue. He said, "Listening to the absurd statements of the opposition, it seems they are advocating for Zubin Garg's killers in pursuit of political gain. Their eyes are elsewhere, and their target is elsewhere."

It's worth noting that Zubin Garg had traveled to Singapore to perform at the Northeast India Festival on September 19th. He was on a yacht near St. John's Island on the day of the incident. He reportedly went swimming and wasn't wearing a life jacket. After experiencing breathing difficulties, he was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Singapore's official postmortem report also stated that the cause of death was drowning.

Following the singer's death, his family and fans suspected foul play. Under pressure, the Assam government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and a one-member judicial commission to investigate the matter. Given the international nature of the case, the Indian government has initiated a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) process with Singapore to assist in the investigation, ensuring that evidence and facts from Singapore can be obtained by Indian agencies.