Guwahati, Sep 24: Tense situation prevailed on Thursday near the residence of Siddhartha Sharma, manager of late singer Zubeen Garg, after protesters gathered outside his house demanding his arrest.
Sharma, who has managed Garg’s career since 2014, is reported to have acquired assets worth several crores over the years.
These include Royal Heritage, a luxury hotel in Guwahati’s Lokhra area, a water company at Six Mile, two upscale flats, and a music management office on Zoo Road. Since 2023, he has also served as Managing Director of Zubeen Garg Music LLP.
The protest turned volatile when a Special Investigation Team (SIT) entered Sharma’s residence for a raid. Believing he had been detained, angry protesters gheraoed the house and attacked police vehicles.
The Rapid Action Force (RAF), deployed in anticipation of unrest, carried out a baton charge to disperse the mob. Several protesters alleged police excesses.
“I was injured in my leg after police thrashed me. We were only demanding justice for the culprits. Instead of hearing us, the police attacked,” said one protester.
Amid the unrest, the SIT detained musician Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, who was part of the group that joined the controversial yacht trip linked to Garg’s sudden death. Authorities confirmed his detention but did not disclose specific charges.
The SIT also raided the residence of cultural entrepreneur Shyamkanu Mahanta, though officials have not released further details of the investigation.
Later in the day, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma distanced the state government from Mahanta’s initiatives, stating that his programmes do not reflect Assamese culture.
“Shyamkanu Mahanta’s programmes are not associated with Assamese culture, and that’s why I never encouraged them. I once attended his programme at Judges Field, but left immediately after a disruption. The state government has decided no funding will be given to him,” Sarma told reporters.
The Chief Minister further added that during his political career, he had only once travelled to Delhi to attend Mahanta’s event, reiterating that the government would not support such programmes.
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