As Assam prepares for the legislative assembly election scheduled for 9 April 2026, the family and supporters of cultural icon Zubeen Garg have appealed to political parties not to invoke his name in electoral discourse. The singer died in Singapore on 19 September 2025 during a yacht outing. His death, and subsequent investigations, have since figured in political exchanges in the state.
A coroner’s court in Singapore on 25 March 2026 ruled that the 53-year-old singer died due to accidental drowning. State Coroner Adam Nakhoda stated there was no evidence of foul play and accepted the findings of the Police Coast Guard after reviewing available evidence. According to The Straits Times, a death certificate issued by Singapore General Hospital had earlier listed drowning as the cause of death. Testimony indicated that the singer, who had consumed alcohol, entered the water without a life jacket and appeared exhausted.
The court noted that there was no delay in rescue efforts and no indication that anyone had held him underwater. Witnesses, including the vessel’s captain, stated that he appeared unsteady before boarding and required assistance. Testimony also indicated that no one forced him to consume alcohol or enter the water.
The Singapore findings have triggered political reactions in Assam. Opposition leaders have questioned statements made earlier by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had told the state assembly in November 2025 that the singer’s death involved a planned conspiracy. Gaurav Gogoi, president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee and a candidate in the upcoming elections, highlighted the divergence between the Singapore court’s conclusions and the Assam government’s position. He said the ruling could affect the ongoing case in which several accused are in judicial custody.
Other opposition leaders have also sought clarification on the investigation conducted by a special team of Assam Police, which filed murder charges against seven individuals, including event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, and associates Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprabha Mahanta. Three others, including the singer’s cousin Sandipan Garg and two security personnel, were also arrested.
Responding to the criticism, Sarma said the findings in Singapore did not contradict the investigation in Assam. He maintained that both inquiries indicated the singer had consumed alcohol beyond permissible limits, and added that the state investigation included allegations that he had been made to consume alcohol as part of a conspiracy. He stated that the case, currently under trial in a fast-track court set up following directions from the Gauhati High Court, would proceed based on evidence presented in court.
The fast-track sessions court in Kamrup Metropolitan district began daily trial proceedings on 30 March 2026.
Born as Jiban Borthakur in Meghalaya in 1972, Zubeen Garg built a prominent career in Assamese and Indian music. He gained national recognition for the song “Ya Ali” from the film Gangster and recorded extensively across languages. He was also associated with Assamese cinema as a producer and actor. After Bhupen Hazarika, he was widely regarded as a significant cultural figure in Assam, particularly during the Rongali (Bohag) Bihu festival.
As the election approaches, his death continues to be referenced in political debates, even as his family has called for keeping the issue outside electoral campaigning.
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*Senior journalist based in Guwahati
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