Guwahati witnessed a heart-wrenching scene on Monday as fans gathered at the Sarusajai Stadium to pay their final respects to Assam's musical icon, Zubeen Garg. Amid the sea of mourners, four silent companions drew attention, the singer's dogs.
Carried into the stadium by close associates of the family and Zubeen's wife, Garima, each pet dog paid its last respects. Already overwhelmed by grief, the crowd fell silent as the dogs gazed at the musician inside the coffin.
While emotions ran high inside the stadium, preparations were also underway for the funeral tomorrow, September 23.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that a fresh autopsy would be conducted at 7 AM at Guwahati Medical College under the supervision of a team from AIIMS Guwahati.
The decision, he said, was taken in response to public sentiment and to ensure transparency in the investigation surrounding the singer's sudden death in Singapore on September 19.
Following the autopsy, Zubeen's body will be brought back to the stadium by 9 AM for the funeral procession. His final journey will lead to the cremation site at Kamarkuchi, with Assam Police personnel carrying the coffin from the national highway and paying him a 21-gun salute. Priests will then perform the last rites before his cremation.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju will attend the funeral as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's representative. To ensure smooth passage for the massive procession, the Assam government has ordered a temporary shutdown of the highway up to Jorabat for several hours, while declaring Monday and Tuesday as dry days.