Zubeen death: Assam Police get post-mortem, toxicology reports from Singapore

The Singaporean authorities have sent singer Zubeen Garg’s post-mortem and toxicology reports to the Assam Police — a development that breathes new momentum into the probe surrounding the enigmatic death of one of the Northeast’s most beloved voices.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the handover on Friday, describing it as a “crucial step forward” in the investigation. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Guwahati, Sarma said the reports — along with official documents and guidelines shared under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) — had been formally delivered to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) tasked with unravelling the case.

“When our SIT visited Singapore, the authorities had assured us of full cooperation. Today, they have honoured that commitment,” Sarma said, adding that international collaboration had been vital to the inquiry’s progress.

Zubeen Garg — the 52-year-old singer, composer, and cultural icon whose voice became synonymous with Assamese identity — died on 19 September while swimming in the sea in Singapore. The sudden loss of the man who had given Assam its modern musical pulse plunged the state into grief, sparking questions and speculation about the circumstances of his death.

In the weeks that followed, the Assam government constituted a 10-member SIT to investigate the case. The team has so far arrested seven people — all currently in judicial custody — as it pieces together the events leading to Garg’s final moments.

Sarma, who also serves as the state’s home minister, said the SIT had made “substantial progress” and expressed confidence that the chargesheet would be filed within the stipulated 90 days. “The SIT is absolutely confident of ensuring justice for Zubeen,” he said. “When the chargesheet is submitted by 17 December, people will appreciate their work.”

Even as investigators edge closer to their findings, emotions continue to run high across Assam — a land still humming with Zubeen’s music, his lyrics echoing from tea gardens to city streets. Murals of the late artiste adorn walls in Guwahati, candles still flicker in impromptu shrines, and fans continue to replay his songs in mourning and remembrance.

For many, Zubeen Garg was not just a singer but the heartbeat of a generation — a restless artiste whose melodies carried both rebellion and tenderness. His untimely death abroad remains a wound that refuses to heal.

As the SIT’s work nears its culmination, Assam now waits — not merely for a chargesheet, but for clarity, closure, and justice worthy of the man whose music continues to sing for its soul.

With PTI inputs