In a major development following the tragic demise of Assam’s beloved singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore, multiple FIRs have been filed against Syamkanu Mahanta, Chief Organiser of the North East India Festival, and Sidharth Sarma, the singer’s manager. The FIRs, lodged across different police stations in the state, have now been ordered to be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for a consolidated probe.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, addressing the matter, said, “Multiple FIRs have been filed against Syamkanu Mahanta and Sidharth Sarma in connection with the unfortunate and untimely demise of our beloved Zubeen Garg. I have directed DGP Assam Police to transfer all the FIRs to the CID and to register a consolidated case for a thorough investigation.” The development comes amidst a storm of grief and anger in Assam, where Zubeen was not just a musical icon but also a voice of the people. His sudden death during a yacht outing in Singapore has raised serious questions over the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
Earlier, Mahanta had stated that Zubeen had gone for the yacht trip with members of the local Assamese community, claiming that the festival organisers had no prior knowledge of the visit. The CID will now piece together the FIRs, statements, and evidence to conduct a unified investigation into possible lapses that may have contributed to the tragedy. Police sources said that the scope of the probe will include the circumstances of the yacht outing, safety measures, and the responsibilities of the individuals accompanying Zubeen.
