Protesters Detained Near Assam Secretariat Over Singer Zubeen Garg's Death

More than one hundred people gathered in front of the Assam secretariat on Tuesday to form a human chain and demand punishment for those responsible for singer Zubeen Garg's death in Singapore last year. Police stopped the demonstration outside the building and removed the protesters in buses. The gathering followed an appeal by Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, who had urged citizens to join the protest. Protesters raised slogans and displayed placards reading 'Justice for Zubeen Garg'. Gogoi clarified that the protest was a public movement rather than a party event, and he had urged the chief minister to allow the democratic gathering.

Background

Zubeen Garg died under mysterious circumstances on September 19 last year while swimming in the sea in Singapore, where he was attending the fourth edition of the North East India Festival. Singapore Police concluded there was no evidence of foul play and stated that the singer was severely intoxicated and drowned off Lazarus Island after declining to wear a life jacket. However, Assam authorities maintained that the Singapore findings would not impact the local case, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma previously stated in the state assembly that the death was plain and simple murder.

Investigation And Legal Steps

A special investigation team of the Assam Police CID probed the death after more than 60 FIRs were registered across the state, filing a charge sheet in December naming seven accused, with four facing murder charges. Those named include festival chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, manager Siddharth Sharma, band members Amritprava Mahanta and Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, cousin and suspended DSP Sandipon Garg, and personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya. Amritprava and Sandipon have since secured bail from the Gauhati High Court and been released. The Assam government and Morigaon-based lawyer Ratul Bora both announced plans to challenge the bail orders in the Supreme Court.