Garima Garg Suspects Foul Play in Husband Zubeen Garg's Death in Singapore, Demands Justice for Assam's Cultural Icon

Garima Garg, wife of Assam's cultural icon Zubeen Garg, speaks to NDTV in Jorhat

Guwahati:

In an emotional interview with NDTV, Garima Garg, wife of Assam's renowned singer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg, stated that she suspects everyone who was present at the time of her husband's death in Singapore.

"All individuals who were at the incident location are under suspicion. We have filed an FIR. The organizers, managers, team members - we suspect everyone," Garima told NDTV on Tuesday, visibly devastated by her loss.

She firmly believes her husband's death resulted from negligence and expressed confidence in the legal system. "We have complete faith in our legal process and believe the investigation will proceed appropriately. We've requested a fast-track investigation to discover exactly what happened that day."

Today marks Zubeen Garg's Adya Shraddha, the traditional 13-day post-death ritual, being observed in Jorhat. Thousands are expected to attend to pay their final respects. The state government has implemented strict crowd safety and traffic management measures. The ceremony will commence at 8 am and continue until sunset.

Jorhat holds special significance for Zubeen Garg as it was where his musical journey began. His ashes will remain at a public venue until October 4, allowing fans to pay their respects.

The state government has announced plans to construct a second memorial in Jorhat to permanently honor Zubeen's contributions to music and cinema.

Garima Garg emphasized the importance of Jorhat, saying, "This is our home and his special place. He grew up here, studied here, and began his music career here. Even after death, he needed to return to be among his people who will shower him with blessings, love, and prayers. We are here with our own people."

Assam Police have charged Zubeen's manager Siddhartha Sharma, festival organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta, and others with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and causing death by negligence. Siddhartha Sharma had been a long-time associate of Zubeen Garg.

Garima expressed her feeling that everyone, including the manager, appeared to have neglected her husband.

Addressing reports that Zubeen was reluctant to attend the Singapore event, Garima explained, "He was deeply involved with his dream project, 'Roy Roy Binale.' However, he considered everyone his family and good friends. He always wanted to support Shyamkanu Mahanta's venture, not specifically the festival. This time too, he went for a few days to help and support him, but in return, he lost his life."

She acknowledged that preserving Zubeen's legacy, including his incomplete works, will take time. "We're still processing everything. Once the rituals conclude, we'll need to plan accordingly. I cannot do this alone - everyone must help," she said.

Investigators have questioned several individuals who were in Singapore when Zubeen Garg died. With mounting public demand for justice, the government is pushing for international cooperation to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the cultural icon's death.