Singapore report ignites Zubeen death issue in Assam

A Singapore coroner’s inquest report has fueled the debate over the mysterious death of Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg in poll-bound Assam.

In his ruling on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, the island nation’s Coroner Adam Nakhoda said Garg drowned accidentally and found no reason to disagree with the findings of the Coast Guard Police regarding the nature of his death. Previously, Singapore General Hospital had cited drowning as the cause of death on September 19, 2025.

Reacting to the coroner’s report, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Singapore court’s order and the charges filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam police were similar. However, in November 2025, 52-year-old Garg was killed, he said.

“Investigations by Singapore authorities and Assam police revealed that he had consumed liquor the night before and 380 ml of liquor was found. The only other thing our report stated was that he was made to drink alcohol by Amritprabha as part of a conspiracy,” he said.

Garg’s co-singer Amritprabha Mahanta was one of the seven people arrested on charges of luring him to death. Others include Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organizer of a festival where Garg is scheduled to sing, and Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma.

The Prime Minister felt that the Singapore court’s decision would make the SIT case stronger. “I have been saying all along that Assam police can perform better than their Singaporean counterparts. This decision has proven that we are doing a good job and people will now understand how well we are working,” he said.

However, State Congress president and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi said the Singapore verdict challenged the Prime Minister’s theory of murder.

“The Indian government has coordinated with its Singaporean counterpart in this regard and the Assam government has sent a police team to Singapore for investigation. The Prime Minister also told the House that Zubeen da was murdered. The Singapore verdict is a gift to those accused of killing her,” Mr. Gogoi said.

Lurinjyoti Gogoi, president of the Congress-ally Assam Jatiya Parishad, wondered how investigations by the police of the two countries could yield different results. “The people of Assam deserve more clarity,” he said.