Guwahati, March 26: The mysterious death of Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg has once again sparked debate after a Singapore coroner’s inquiry report came to light.
The case has returned to centre stage in Assam’s political discourse ahead of the Assembly elections.
Delivering his judgment on Wednesday (March 25), Singapore’s State Coroner Adam Nakhoda ruled that Garg’s death was accidental, stating that he drowned and that there was no reason to disagree with the findings of the Police Coast Guard. Earlier, the Singapore General Hospital had also cited drowning as the cause of his death on September 19, 2025.
The development has quickly turned the issue into a political flashpoint in Assam, with opposition parties demanding justice for Garg’s family.
The opposition, led by the Congress, has targeted the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government, seeking clarity from the state over the circumstances surrounding Garg’s death.
Responding to the verdict, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Singapore court’s findings were in line with the charge sheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police.
“Investigations by Singapore authorities and the Assam Police revealed that he had consumed liquor the previous night, and 380 ml of alcohol was found. Our report also stated that he was made to drink alcohol by Amritprabha as part of a conspiracy,” Sarma said.
He added, “I have maintained from the outset that the Assam Police can perform better than their Singapore counterparts. This judgment shows that we did a good job, and people will now understand how thoroughly we worked.”
Assam Police have arrested Amritprabha Mahanta, Garg’s co-singer, among seven individuals accused of abetment to death. Others include Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of a festival where Garg was scheduled to perform, and Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma.
Reacting to the verdict, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Gaurav Gogoi questioned the consistency of the findings, pointing out that the Chief Minister had earlier told the Assembly that the singer’s death was a case of murder.
With Assembly elections approaching, the case has once again heated up the political atmosphere in Assam, emerging as a key campaign issue.
