GUWAHATI– The investigation into the sudden death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg has taken a dramatic turn, with police arresting his manager and the chief organizer of the North East India Festival.
Officials confirmed Wednesday that Siddhartha Sharma, Garg’s manager, and festival organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta were taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to probe the case. Mahanta was arrested at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after returning from Singapore, while Sharma was detained late Tuesday at an apartment in Gurugram.
Both men were flown to Guwahati early Wednesday and are now being questioned by investigators, police sources said.
Garg, a beloved figure in Assam’s cultural scene, died on September 19 in Singapore. He reportedly developed breathing difficulties while swimming during a yacht outing and was rushed to a hospital, where doctors were unable to save him. Singapore authorities cited drowning as the preliminary cause of death.
Public outcry in Assam over the 52-year-old singer’s death prompted the state government to launch a high-level inquiry. The 10-member SIT, headed by Special DGP M.P. Gupta, has been questioning people connected to the festival and others who traveled to Singapore for the event.
Authorities had previously served notices to Mahanta and Sharma, directing them to cooperate with the investigation. After the two failed to respond, police issued lookout notices and, according to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, even sought assistance from Interpol. Sarma pledged that the government would “take every possible legal step” to uncover the truth amid speculation of a possible conspiracy.
With the arrests of two central figures, investigators are expected to intensify their efforts to reconstruct the circumstances of Garg’s final hours. Police sources indicated that additional arrests have not been ruled out.
Garg’s death has left a deep void in Assam’s music and cultural world, with fans and colleagues continuing to demand justice and answers. (Source: IANS)
