Fans remember Zubeen Garg in Sonapur on first death anniversary

A year after Zubeen Garg’s death in Singapore, fans, family members and artistes gathered at his memorial in Sonapur on Saturday to remember the Assamese singer and renew their call for justice.

Visitors sang Garg’s songs and paid their respects at Zubeen Kshetra, the site near Guwahati where his last rites were performed. The gathering concluded a three-day programme of cultural events and prayers that began on Thursday with support from the Assam government’s Cultural Affairs Department. Anniversary programmes have drawn tributes from across the state.

Garg died on 19 September 2025 after becoming unresponsive while swimming during a private yacht outing near Singapore’s Lazarus Island. He had travelled to the country for the North-East India Festival and was due to perform the following day. His death brought widespread mourning in Assam and prompted questions about the circumstances of the outing.

Those questions remain the subject of legal proceedings in Guwahati. Seven people were charged following an investigation by an Assam Police Special Investigation Team, and all have pleaded not guilty. Four face murder charges in a trial before a special fast-track court. The court framed charges in May.

The proceedings in Assam follow a different finding in Singapore. A coroner there ruled in March that Garg had died by accidental drowning and found no evidence of foul play. The Assam trial remains under way.

At the memorial, singer Angaraag ‘Papon’ Mahanta urged people to support younger performers singing Garg’s compositions. Actor Arun Hazarika also called for justice, while cautioning that the search for answers should not lead to injustice against anyone else.

Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi called on the state government to declare 19 September a public holiday as ‘Zubeen Divas’. He also questioned the progress of the investigation and raised concerns about unfinished work at Zubeen Kshetra.

For the people who returned to Sonapur on Saturday, the anniversary was both a celebration of Garg’s music and a reminder that the case arising from his death has yet to be resolved.

With agency inputs