Guwahati: In a significant development in the investigation into the death of renowned Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, authorities have taken into custody his manager and the lead organizer of a cultural event in Singapore. The arrests come amid mounting scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding Garg’s drowning on September 19, as a special probe team delves deeper into the incident.
Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organizer of the North East India Festival (NEIF), was apprehended at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after his return from Singapore. In a parallel operation, Siddhartha Sharma, who managed Garg’s professional engagements, was detained from a residential apartment in Gurugram. Both suspects were transported to Guwahati in the early hours of Wednesday, according to a senior police officer speaking to PTI.
The Assam government swiftly assembled a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the leadership of Special Director General of Police M P Gupta to examine the singer’s demise by drowning in Singaporean waters. This move underscores the state’s commitment to a thorough inquiry, particularly given Garg’s stature in the region’s cultural landscape.
As part of its mandate, the SIT has summoned a roster of individuals linked to the event, including Mahanta and Sharma, representatives from the Singapore Assam Association, and other participants who traveled for the NEIF. Those issued notices are required to present themselves for questioning and to provide formal statements.
Earlier statements from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the intensity of the probe, revealing that a lookout circular had been circulated via Interpol targeting Mahanta and Sharma. The duo was directed to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) by October 6, a deadline that preceded their detentions.
Garg’s untimely passing has left fans and the music community in mourning, prompting calls for clarity on the events leading to the tragedy. While initial reports pointed to an accidental drowning during the festival, the arrests signal potential lapses in oversight or coordination that investigators are now probing.
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