Zubeen Garg died on September 19.
The mortal remains of popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg were taken to his residence on Sunday after being brought to Guwahati airport from Delhi. His wife, Garima Saikia Garg, received the singer's body and broke down inconsolably as she hugged the casket.
The singer, known as the "King of Humming," died in Singapore on September 19. Fans across Assam arrived at the airport to pay their last respects. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita also paid homage to the late singer at IGI Airport.
Background
Several fans in Guwahati lit candles in the singer's memory. The Assam government announced that Zubeen's mortal remains would be kept at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex in Sarusajai, Guwahati, on Sunday, September 21, from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, for fans and well-wishers to pay their last respects.
In a statement, the government said, "The Government of Assam, with deep sorrow, informs that the mortal remains of Shri Zubeen Garg--an artist larger than life, a cultural icon, filmmaker, and the eternal heartthrob of millions--will be kept at the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex (Sarusajai Stadium) tomorrow, September 21, from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, for friends, followers, and admirers to pay their last respects. All are requested to extend their cooperation in ensuring that the final journey of Assam's beloved son is conducted with dignity and becomes a farewell to be remembered for all time."
Meanwhile, the Assam government has declared a three-day state mourning. During this period, no official entertainment, ceremonial programs, or public celebrations will take place.
How Did Zubeen Garg Die?
Initial reports suggested that Zubeen Garg died while scuba diving. A representative of the North East India Festival in Singapore told NDTV, "It is with deep sadness that we share the news of Zubeen Garg's passing."
"While scuba diving, he experienced breathing difficulties and was immediately given CPR before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital. Despite efforts to save him, he was declared deceased in the ICU around 2.30 pm IST," Anuj Kumar Boruah said.
However, fresh details have since emerged suggesting otherwise.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the singer died while swimming in the sea without a life jacket. According to PTI, Sarma said, "Zubeen died while swimming without a life jacket," adding that Singapore authorities will question the people who had accompanied the singer for swimming.
Sarma also said there is a video in which Zubeen Garg is seen jumping into the sea from a yacht wearing a life jacket. "After the 1.26 mark in the video, Zubeen Garg can be seen returning to the yacht. According to reports, he jumped into the sea for the second time, but after taking off the life jacket, saying it was uncomfortable swimming with the life jacket on," the Chief Minister added.
Moments later, Garg was found floating in the sea, unresponsive. He was rushed to Singapore General Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead around 2:30 pm Indian time. An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow.
The organisers of the North East India Festival also issued a statement underlining that they were unaware of the yacht visit before the accident.
The statement read, "Earlier today, our entire team was engaged in a business meeting with senior Singaporean industrialists and policymakers at the Shangri-La Hotel to facilitate investments in Northeast India. During the meeting, we received a call from Zubeen's manager informing us that he had met with an accident and had been rushed to Singapore General Hospital. We later learned that a few members of the local Assamese community had taken him on a yacht visit, of which we had no prior knowledge," the statement further read.
Who Was Zubeen Garg?
Zubeen Garg was one of Assam's most popular cultural icons, known for his songs in Assamese, Bengali and Hindi. He rose to nationwide fame with the hit track Ya Ali from the film Gangster and went on to deliver several other popular numbers, including Dil Tu Hi Bataa from Krrish 3.
Garg had also worked extensively in Assamese films as a singer, actor and director. Some of his hits included Kanchanjunga, Mission China, Dinabandhu and Mon Jai.
In 2022, he sustained a minor head injury after falling unconscious at a resort in Dibrugarh. He was later flown to Guwahati in an air ambulance and treated at a private super-speciality hospital.
