Protests Erupt in Assam as Accused in Zubeen Garg's Death Case Transferred to New Baksa Prison

Protests outside Baksa district jail on Wednesday.

A massive protest erupted in Assam's Baksa district after five individuals, arrested in connection with the death of singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore last month, were transferred to a newly-constructed prison on Wednesday.

According to sources, tensions escalated outside Baksa district jail at Mushalpur as Garg's fans hurled stones and slippers, apparently attempting to breach the premises.

The fans, sources indicated, are displeased with the decision to relocate the accused to Baksa prison, a newly-constructed facility with no current inmates and numerous amenities. They alleged that the state government is attempting to protect the accused.

North East India Festival (NEIF) chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Zubeen's manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin and police officer Sandipan Garg, and his personal security officers (PSOs) Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya were remanded in judicial custody by the Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate on Wednesday.

The court, expressing concern for their safety, ruled that they should be transferred to a jail with fewer prisoners. Consequently, authorities decided to relocate all five accused to Baksa Jail at Mushalpur, which was inaugurated two months ago and currently houses no prisoners, according to an official.

Mahanta and Sharma were arrested on October 1 in Delhi in connection with the singer's death in Singapore last month and were charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence, with murder charges added subsequently.

Both individuals were initially remanded in police custody for 14 days, which concluded on Tuesday.

Zubeen Garg's cousin and Assam Police DSP Sandipan Garg was apprehended on October 8 and remanded to seven days of police custody. Following his arrest, Sandipan, who served as the in-charge of the co-district superintendent of police of Boko-Chaygaon in Kamrup district, was suspended.

The police officer had accompanied the singer to Singapore and was present on the yacht during Zubeen's final moments. The singer's two PSOs were arrested on October 10 and were remanded to five-day police custody.

Two additional individuals - Zubeen's band members Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and singer Amritprava Mahanta - were arrested on October 3 and remanded in police custody for 14 days.

The Criminal Investigation Department has also initiated a separate investigation against Mahanta for alleged organized financial crimes and "acquiring huge amounts of 'benami' properties by money laundering".