Public Outcry Over Zubeen’s Death Not Yet Diminished

By Nava Thakuria, New Age Islam 17 October 2025 The mysterious death of a most loved Assamese singer in Singapore last month created a tremendous pressure on Assam government to authentically investigate if Zubeen Garg was murdered in the island nation. His last journey was attended by over one million mourning fans and admirers and even after his cremation (following Hindu rituals) the well wishers continue to pour in the cremation ground near Guwahati. Now the cremation ground has turned into a shrine, where hundreds of visitors start pouring round the clock to pay their respects to the singer, who contributed his voice to thousands of songs in several languages. An initial sadness following his unforeseen death on 19 September 2025 at only 53 had slowly turned into outrages with a sole demand for justice. Now a digital campaign titled ‘Justice for Zubeen Garg’ has been launched, where millions of social media users start putting their views demanding legal actions against the perpetrators. Even before his last rites were performed, over 60 police complaints were lodged in various police stations across Assam and soon the government formed a special investigation team (SIT) under the criminal investigation department (CID) of the Assam Police. Till date, the SIT has arrested Shyamkanu Mahanta (chief organizer of 4th North East India Festival scheduled for 19, 20 and 21 September in Singapore, where Zubeen was planning to perform), Siddharth Sharma (the musician’s manager), Shekarjyoti Goswami (a Zubeen associate) and Amritprabha (a Zubeen’s co-signer) under different sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sanghita (BNS). Zubeen’s cousin brother and a district level police officer Sandipan Garg was also arrested and placed under suspension with immediate effect. Two personal security officers namely Nandeshwar Bora and Paresh (Prabin) Baishya were additionally picked up suspecting financial misappropriations to the iconic singer. A group of Singapore-based Assamese professionals (namely Rupkamal Kalita, Abhimanyu Talukdar, Tanmay Phukan, Jiolangsat Narzary, Parikshit Sharma, Siddhartha Bora, Bhaskar Jyoti Dutta, Sushmita Goswami, Debojyoti Hazarika, Pratim Bhuyan and Wajid Ahmed), who accompanied Zubeen in a yacht trip to Saint John island of Singapore on the fateful day, were asked to appear before the officials and most of them arrived in Guwahati to record their statements in front of the SIT. The situation suddenly turned violent on 15 October, as five accused were shifted to an isolated jail in Baksa locality following their police remand ended. Considering the security of the inmates, the government decided to shift them to the newly inaugurated jail (opened in last June) in western Assam. As the news broke about their shifting from Guwahati, a large number of people gathered in front of the jail and a section of them started pelting stones at the convoy of vehicles carrying the accused. The agitators demanded instant justice while opposing the lengthy judicial process to punish the guilty individuals. The police personnel on duty responded to the situation with forces which instigated the mob and they torched many vehicles on the site. Expressing serious concern over the mob attack on a number of media professionals, the Geneva-based global media safety and rights body, Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) demanded stringent actions against the perpetrators. A number of media professionals namely Dhruba Bora, Pradip Das and Paragmoni Das (ND24), Rana Deka, Banajit Kalita and Apurba Sarma (NKTV), Brajen Talukder and Krishna Deka (News Live), Nokul Talukder and Raju Das (Pratidin Time), Abhijit Talukder (DY365), Birinchi Kr Deka (News 18 Assam/NE), Jintumoni Das (Pratham Khabar), Sourav Dey (Prag News), Akhyendra Deka (Pratibimba Live) and Dilip Kr Boro (ETV Bharat) sustained injuries. Arguing that the media persons were doing their duties only, PEC president Blaise Lempen urged the authorities in Assam to take care of all the injured individuals. He also emphasized on organizing regular orientation programs for the ground reporters and video journalists to safeguard themselves in a disturbing situation that may emerge anytime in the south Asian region. Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared the formation of a one-man judicial commission headed by justice Soumitra Saikia of Gauhati High Court, to monitor the investigation. He also rushed to the national capital to meet Alice Cheng, the acting high commissioner of Singapore in New Delhi. Pursuing cooperation from the Singaporean authorities for an Assam police team (scheduled to visit the country) for probe into Zubeen’s death there, Sarma expected all possible support in this matter, as assured by the Singaporean diplomat. Even though an autopsy was conducted in Singapore before handing over Zubeen’s body, another post mortem was conducted at Guwahati medical college hospital as a large section of people alleged foul play in Zubeen’s sudden death. But the death certificate, issued by the Singaporean government, indicated Zubeen died due to drowning (both of his postmortem reports and the toxicology findings from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Delhi are yet to be made public. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/public-outcry-zubeen-death/d/137281 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism