Justice For Zubeen Campaign Gains Momentum

An initial sadness and grief following the unforeseen death of Assam’s cultural icon in Singapore have now turned into outrage demanding justice for Zubeen Garg, as millions of his fans and admirers are convinced that something wrong happened to their prince of melody during a sea-yacht outing in the Southeast Asian nation.

The heartbreaking news that brought the State with  3.3 million people to a standstill, turning Guwahati into a sea of humans weeping, sobbing, crying and exclaiming why Zubeen was put to die in the island nation, thousands of kilometres away from his motherland, on 19 September 2025. The phenomenal singer’s last journey in a flower-decked ambulance on 21 September and later keeping his mortal remains at Sarusajai Stadium for public viewing and homage, had witnessed an unprecedented gathering of young people arriving from different parts of north-eastern India. The crowds did not lessen even after Zubeen’s cremation on 23 September at Kamarkuchi village, about 20 kilometres east of Guwahati, with full state honours and 21-gun salutes.

Even before his last rites were performed, over 50 police complaints were lodged against Shyamkanu Mahanta (chief organizer of 4th North East India Festival on 19, 20 and 21 September, where Zubeen was scheduled to perform), and  Siddharth Sharma (his manager) in various police stations across Assam, where a few FIRs added Shekarjyoti Goswami (a Zubeen associate) and Sanjive Narain (businessman and owner of Prag News satellite channel and Dainik Janambhumi newspaper) alleging that Zubeen had to die in Singapore because of their collective callousness. Facing unprecedented public cries, the State government in Dispur ordered a probe and urgently formed a special investigation team (SIT) under the criminal investigation department (CID) of Assam Police. Even though an autopsy was conducted in Singapore before handing over his body, another post mortem was conducted at Gauhati medical college  hospital in the presence of an AIIMS Guwahati doctor as a large section of people alleged foul play in Zubeen’s sudden death outside the country. According to the death certificate, issued by the Singaporean government, Zubeen died due to drowning, but both of his postmortem reports are yet to be made public.

Meanwhile, the SIT members raided the residences of both Mahanta and Sharma in the city, seized a number of items and also sealed them. Moreover, the CID  issued urgent notices to people who were ‘present or aware of the events’ leading to Zubeen’s death in Singapore to appear within 10 days. Over ten non-resident Assamese professionals, who accompanied  Zubeen in Singapore sea outings on the fateful day, have also been asked to appear before its officers on or before  6 October. Breaking the silence after many days, Singapore’s Assam association stated that Zubeen went on a yacht trip to Saint John's Island along with some of its members.

Expressing profound grief at his untimely demise, the association asserted that some of their members were assisting the investigating authorities in the probe and hence it was not permitted to make a public comment on the issue until the investigation process is over. In Assam, the lawyers’ association appealed to its members not to represent individuals accused in the death of Zubeen under mysterious circumstances that have 'given rise to suspicion, mystery and a sense of conspiracy’. It would be a historic mistake for the legal fraternity to allow their conscience to defend the accused, said a statement.

Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi alleged that negligence of some individuals led to Zubeen’s death and hence the deputy leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, demanded a transparent probe into the incident. The opposition leader in the Assam legislative assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has raised his voice for a probe under the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and he has already sent a letter to President Droupadi Murmu requesting her intervention over the matter. 

A number of civil society groups, including All Assam Students’ Union, continue demanding a thorough investigation into Zubeen's death, following which State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma consented, if necessity arises (as the place of occurrence of the incident was outside India), to hand over the case to the CBI.

Meanwhile, the government has restricted accused Mahanta from organizing any event/function/festival in Assam and holding back all kinds of financial support to his companies. With more to it, a PIL has been filed at Gauhati High Court by Aabhijeet Sharma and Palash Ranjan Baruah, demanding an authentic probe into Zubeen’s death, which will be heard on 10 November next.

Also Read: Our Rockstar, Our Republic: Will Zubeen’s Death Spark Swabhiman, Swatantrata, Swaraj?