Zubeen Garg death probe gains political overtones ahead of Assam polls

By Nava Thakuria*

Public grief over the untimely death of Assam’s popular singer and cultural icon in Singapore has increasingly turned into a political issue. As protests and social media campaigns demanding justice continue, political parties across the spectrum are seeking to associate themselves with the case, with an eye on the forthcoming scheduled for early next year.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) recently announced plans to erect statues of Zubeen Garg and establish two music schools in his memory, along with another dedicated to . The party has also launched a “” (March for Justice) to push for a judicial inquiry into Garg’s death. The campaign began in on 22 October, where the BJP claimed participation of over 50,000 supporters. Senior leaders, including Assam BJP president , Union minister , and state ministers and , led the rally, demanding a transparent investigation. Similar programs have since been held across the state under the leadership of other ministers.

Meanwhile, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) has stated that it is investigating the case under the country’s . According to a communication forwarded by the in New Delhi, the SPF’s preliminary findings have ruled out foul play, and the final report may take at least three months to complete. The SPF also cautioned against spreading speculation or unverified information about the circumstances of Garg’s death.

In Assam, the digital campaign “JusticeForZubeenGarg” continues to gain traction, with nearly three million social media users calling for justice. The Assam government has constituted a special investigation team (SIT), which has made several arrests, and also appointed a judicial commission headed by of the to oversee the probe. A two-member police team led by SIT chief M. P. Gupta recently visited Singapore to collect relevant information from local authorities.

Chief Minister has assured that the charge sheet will be filed within three months. While Zubeen Garg’s autopsy was conducted at , a second post-mortem was performed at amid public suspicion of foul play. The Singapore death certificate recorded drowning as the cause of death, and subsequent forensic tests reportedly found no traces of poisoning. The chief minister also met with Singapore’s acting high commissioner Alice Cheng to seek cooperation in the ongoing investigation.

Opposition leaders have also become active. Congress leader visited Garg’s cremation site at Kamarkuchi and met his family members in , accompanied by Assam Congress president and assembly opposition leader . Gogoi later questioned the direction of the investigation, while Saikia wrote to Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong requesting a transparent inquiry. Regional party leaders and have demanded a national-level probe.

Adding another dimension to the debate, United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) chief commented that while many are now vocal about justice for Zubeen Garg, few had earlier expressed concern over the singer’s personal well-being. He urged people to respect the legal process in a case that occurred outside India’s jurisdiction.

As investigations continue both in Singapore and Assam, the call for justice for Zubeen Garg remains deeply emotional — but also increasingly intertwined with the state’s political and electoral landscape.

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*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor* Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.

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