On the demand of the people of Assam’s Jorhat which is singer Zubeen Garg’s hometown, CM Himanta Sarma said, ‘‘we will take a final decision only after Zubeen arrives”. File
| Photo Credit: Ritu Raj Konwar

A day after the demise of popular singer Zubeen Garg, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday (September 20, 2025) said that the State Government will conduct an inquiry into his death in Singapore.

The post-mortem examination of Garg’s body was completed in Singapore and the mortal remains were being handed over to those who accompanied him there, CM Sarma said.

”The post-mortem of our beloved Zubeen Garg has been completed in Singapore. His mortal remains are now being handed over to the accompanying team — Shekar Jothi Goswami, Sandeepan Garg, and Siddharth Sharma (Manager) — in the presence of officers from the Indian Embassy,” the CM posted on X.

Update-

The post-mortem of our beloved Zubeen Garg has been completed in Singapore. His mortal remains are now being handed over to the accompanying team — Shri Shekar Jothi Goswami, Shri Sandeepan Garg, and Shri Siddharth Sharma (Manager) — in the presence of officers from the…

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 20, 2025

Indian High Commissioner to Singapore Shilpak Ambule had informed CM Sarma on Friday (September 19) night that Garg died while “swimming without a life jacket” in the island country.

Garg had gone with 17 others on a yacht trip and died while “swimming in the sea without a life jacket”, Mr. Sarma had said.

The crew members of the yacht and guards had insisted that he should wear it, the CM said. “Garg had initially worn the life jacket, but after a few seconds, he took it off, claiming that it was oversized and he was finding it difficult to swim,” Mr. Sarma said.

“The high commissioner has sent me a list of people accompanying Garg, and it includes 11 people, including one Abhimanyu Talukdar, who had booked the yacht, from the Assamese community living in Singapore, four members of the singer’s team, and two crew members,” Mr. Sarma said after visiting the singer’s residence in Kahilipara area in Guwahati on Friday (Septmber 19) night.

The singer was “found floating in the sea, and the crew of the yacht tried to revive him, and he was again given Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the port” before being rushed to the Singapore General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, the CM said. CPR is an emergency procedure used during cardiac or respiratory arrest.

The Singapore authorities are questioning the people who had accompanied the singer, Mr. Sarma said.

“We are hoping that Zubeen can return to his land by Saturday evening. When all the formalities are completed, his mortal remains will be first brought to Delhi and then flown to Guwahati,” he said.

Mr. Sarma said that since all the people accompanying Garg are Indian citizens, ”we will approach the Union Home Ministry on the procedure to be followed to ensure that our concerned authorities question them as the people of the state have the right to know what exactly happened to their icon in his last few minutes”.

He said that the singer’s mortal remains will be kept in the Sarusajai Stadium for the people to pay their last respects, and ”all other arrangements will be made after the arrival of the Garg’s body.” The singer’s family said that “since Garg was popular among the people of Assam, they will decide how his last rites will be conducted”, he said.

A short while ago I reviewed the arrangements at Sarusajai Stadium , Guwahati.

It is our highest priority to make sure each and every well wisher of Zubeen can pay their respects in a smooth and hassle free manner. pic.twitter.com/FxjTxmzMCA

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 20, 2025

“The family will fully cooperate with the people and the government in this regard,” Mr. Sarma said.

Asked whether his body will be brought to his residence, the CM said, ”We will discuss it again with his family as his father is ailing and wants to see him for the last time.”

On the demand of the people of Jorhat which is Garg’s hometown, the CM said, ”cremation and memorial are two different issues and we will take a final decision only after Zubeen arrives in Assam”.

Published – September 20, 2025 12:09 pm IST