On 14th January (Wednesday), a new development transpired in the death case of popular Assamese musician Zubeen Garg after Singapore police informed a coroner’s court that he was extremely drunk when he drowned near Lazarus Island. They also mentioned that he didn’t have a life jacket when he went into the water as the authorities ruled out any foul play in the matter.
The chief investigating officer commenced the probe by informing the court that Garg first donned a life jacket while swimming but had since taken it off. He also turned down the offer of a second and smaller life jacket when he made the decision to return to the water. The officer stated, “He entered the water without a life jacket and started swimming alone in the direction of Lazarus Island,” reported Channel News Asia.
The songwriter was not wearing the safety gear and those aboard yelled at others to fetch him back. Afterwards, multiple witnesses observed him attempting to swim back to the yacht. However, he became limp, and his body began to float with his face in the water. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was administered after he was quickly brought back to the yacht. Later the same day, he was declared dead.
According to a toxicology examination, his blood alcohol content was 333 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, indicating serious intoxication that affected his reflexes and coordination.
The court was told that Garg had a track record of hypertension and epilepsy, and his most recent epileptic episode occurred in 2024. Furthermore, the proof provided by eyewitnesses was insufficient to substantiate that he had taken his regular epilepsy medication on the fateful day.
Garg’s cause of death was found to be drowning after an autopsy. His body had some injuries, but it was determined that these had been inflicted during CPR and rescue operations. His blood contained drugs for his epilepsy and hypertension, but no other substances were identified.
The singer passed away on 19th September last year while attending a private yacht event. He was set to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore, a day later. He boarded a yacht at the Marina at Keppel Bay after leaving his hotel. Garg’s friends and coworkers were among the nearly twenty people on the vessel.
Despite the statements of the Singapore police over the issue, a case is going on against several people who accompanied the singer in Assam, along with his manager and the organiser of the festival. They are accused of causing the death by negligence, as Zubeen Garg was a known seizure patient and was advised to stay away from water and fire. It is charged that the accused persons led him to water after drinking the whole night, thereby contributing to his death.
An SIT has already filed the charge sheet, and the trial is set to begin soon. The Assam govt has formed a team of prosecution lawyers to fight the case.
