Zubeen Garg death case: Lathi-charge outside Assam’s Baksa jail as protesters hurl stones at vehicles carrying five accused
Despite police requests from the protesters to retreat, the protesters continued to advance, prompting law enforcement officials to resort to lathi charge to control the situation, an official said. Screenshot: X/ANI
Assam Police resorted to lathi charging on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, to disperse the angry crowd who threw stones at the vehicles carrying the five accused arrested in the cultural icon Zubeen Garg death case while they were being brought to Baksa Central Jail, police said.
A senior official said that several people, including a police officer, were injured, vehicle windows were broken, and some journalists covering the protests were hit with stones.
He said that a large number of protesters gathered outside the prison in Mussalpur district, and when the vehicle convoy carrying the defendants in prison arrived, they started throwing stones at the vehicles.
Some even demanded that the accused be handed over to the public to ensure “justice for Zubeen”.
The officer said that although the convoy managed to enter the prison building, protesters fought with police officers manning the gates as they tried to break through the cordon.
He said that despite police requests from the protesters to retreat, the protesters continued to advance, following which the law enforcement officials resorted to lathi charge to control the situation.
The officer said that although the crowd had retreated, tension was still ongoing in the area as they had not yet left the area.
He said senior police officers were camped in the area and security had been increased in and around the prison premises.
Earlier in the day, North East India Festival (NEIF) chief organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin and constable Sandipan Garg and personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya were taken into judicial custody by the Kamrup Chief Magistrate after their police custody ended.
The court stated that it was concerned about their safety and decided to send them to a prison with fewer detainees.
Accordingly, the authorities decided to shift all five people to Baksa Jail in Mussalpur, which was opened two months ago, and there are still no prisoners there, an official said.
Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19.
It was published – 15 October 2025 17:54 IST
