Zubeen Garg, the iconic Assamese singer, composer, actor, and cultural ambassador, left an indelible mark on India’s northeastern music scene. Known for hits like “Ya Ali” from Bollywood and countless Assamese anthems that bridged communities, his sudden death in 2025 sparked widespread mourning, conspiracy theories, and political turmoil. This article chronicles the events surrounding his passing, the ensuing investigations, political fallout, and public responses, drawing from recent developments up to October 23, 2025.
The Fateful Day: September 19, 2025 – Death in Singapore
On September 19, 2025, Zubeen Garg, aged 52, drowned near Lazarus Island in Singapore while on a yacht party during a scuba-diving outing. He was in the city-state to perform at the Northeast India Festival, scheduled for the following day. Initial reports from the Singapore Police Force indicated an accidental drowning, with no immediate suspicion of foul play. Garg was taken to a hospital after being found unconscious, but was pronounced dead. His wife, Garima Saikia Garg, later revealed he suffered a seizure while swimming and was on medication for known health issues. Videos circulating on social media showed him swimming, appearing tired, and struggling without a life jacket at times, fueling early questions about negligence.
The news sent shockwaves through Assam, fulfilling Garg’s own prophetic words in a recent interview: that the state would “shut down for seven days” upon his death. Schools closed, shops shuttered, and daily life came to a halt as fans grieved.
Immediate Aftermath: September 20–23, 2025 – Mourning and State Honors
Garg’s body was flown back to India on September 21, received in New Delhi by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who then accompanied it to Guwahati. The Assam government, under the BJP-led administration, declared four days of state mourning starting that day. Tens of thousands gathered outside Guwahati’s airport, marching 30 km behind the convoy to a stadium where the body was kept for public viewing. Hundreds of thousands paid their respects over two days.
On September 23, Garg was cremated with full state honors at Kamarkuchi near Guwahati, including a 21-gun salute. Over a million mourners attended, singing lines from his songs, such as “Mayabini” and “Maya.” Tributes poured in from across India, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called him the “brightest gem of Assamese culture.”
Rising Suspicions and Investigations: Late September–Early October 2025
Despite Singapore’s initial ruling of accidental drowning, conspiracy theories proliferated online, with fans demanding transparency. At least 60 complaints were lodged with the Assam police. A second autopsy was conducted in India, and viscera samples were sent to Delhi’s Central Forensic Science Laboratory.
In early October, the Assam government formed a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Special DGP Munna Prasad Gupta to probe the death. A one-man judicial commission was also established to oversee the inquiry. CM Sarma urged those present on the yacht to cooperate, noting some had family in Assam.
Arrests and Escalating Tensions: October 1–15, 2025
Arrests began on October 1. By October 3, seven individuals were detained on charges of negligence, criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and potential murder. The arrested included:
- Shyamkanu Mahanta (festival organizer)
- Siddhartha Sharma (manager)
- Sandipan Garg (police officer and Garg’s cousin)
- Shekhar Jyoti Goswami (bandmate)
- Amritprava Mahanta (co-singer)
- Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya (bodyguards)
Five were sent to 14-day judicial custody on October 15 after being remanded by the CID, and housed in a new jail in Baksa for their safety. The SIT questioned nine of the 11 people who accompanied Garg to Singapore. Violence erupted on October 15 when fans attacked a vehicle carrying the arrested outside a jail, and earlier, a mob in Baksa pelted stones at a police convoy on October 19 , injuring over 30.
The Singapore police reiterated on October 17 that no foul play was suspected, but the investigation could take up to three months.
Political Fallout: October 2025 – Unity Amid Division
Garg’s death transcended his music, uniting Assam’s fractured communities—Hindus, Muslims, Assamese, and Bengalis—amid rising tensions under BJP rule. Muslims recited Quran verses before his photos, madrasa students played his songs, and fans hailed him as an “emblem of Hindu-Muslim harmony.” However, grief turned political, with BJP and Congress accusing each other of exploitation ahead of 2026 elections.
CM Sarma vowed justice or electoral punishment for the BJP, but faced criticism for alleged cover-ups, including links between the arrested organizer Mahanta and Sarma’s family. The opposition urged the Gauhati High Court to abolish the judicial commission, advocating for a special bench. Protests at Kamarkuchi and elsewhere demanded independent investigations, with groups like the Tai Ahom Students’ Union linking justice calls to broader demands, such as ST status. Analysts compared the momentum to the 2019 CAA protests, warning of anti-incumbency against Sarma.
Sarma warned against “anti-government politics in the name of Zubeen,” claiming that attempts were being made to destabilize the state.
Culmination: October 22, 2025 – Assam BJP’s Nyay Yatra Rally
In a move reflecting internal pressures and public sentiment, the Assam BJP organized a massive “Zubeen Garg Nyay Yatra” rally in Nalbari on October 22, demanding speedy and fair justice amid delays in the probe. Over 50,000 BJP workers, fans, and locals participated, led by state president Dilip Saikia and minister Jayanta Malla Baruah. Marchers carried posters of Garg, waved BJP flags, and chanted slogans like “Joy Zubeen, Pranor Zubeen” (“Victory to Zubeen, Zubeen of our hearts”) and “Moi-o Zubeen Onuragi, Amio Zubeen Onuragi” (“I am also a Zubeen fan, we are all Zubeen fans”).
While framed as supportive of the government’s SIT (with a charge sheet expected by November/December), the rally highlighted frustrations with the pace of justice, effectively pressuring the BJP-led administration. CM Sarma, speaking elsewhere, positioned it as uniting “real fans” against “fake fans” exploiting the tragedy for unrest. However, critics viewed it as a defensive move against growing anti-government sentiment, with some reports labeling it a protest against the state government’s handling of delays. The BJP announced similar rallies across districts from October 22–30, signaling an effort to reclaim the narrative amid broader political challenges.
Garg’s death, initially a moment of unity, has evolved into a flashpoint exposing Assam’s deep-seated issues. As investigations continue, his legacy as a unifier endures, even as politics threatens to divide once more.