Singapore Police, two weeks ago, ruled out foul play, confirming drowning as the cause of death for the 52-year-old singer. Minor injuries on Zubeen’s body were superficial and unrelated to his death, according to sources familiar with the report.
BY PC Bureau
The investigation into the death of Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg took a significant turn after the official post-mortem conducted at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) ruled out any possibility of poisoning — in line with the findings of the Singapore Police, which had, two weeks ago, confirmed that Zubeen died of drowning.
Forensic tests on Zubeen’s viscera and other body fluids found no traces of toxic substances, confirming that his death was not the result of any toxicological interference, sources said on Tuesday. According to those familiar with the report, the cause of death has been conclusively attributed to drowning.
These findings directly contradict allegations raised by Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, a member of Zubeen’s band and one of the accused in the case. In his arrest statement, Goswami claimed that the prime accused, Shyamkanu Mahanta, and Zubeen’s manager, Siddharth Sharma, may have poisoned the singer — a claim that had complicated the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) probe.
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Investigators had earlier sent viscera samples to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in New Delhi for detailed analysis. The CFSL confirmed the GMCH findings, stating that it did not detect any poisonous or toxic substances in the biological samples it examined.
Although the post-mortem noted some minor external injuries on Zubeen’s body, sources clarified that those injuries were not severe enough to have contributed to his death. “There is no link between the external marks and the cause of death,” one source said on condition of anonymity.
The findings from GMCH align with the initial autopsy conducted in Singapore shortly after Zubeen’s death. The Singapore Police Force (SPF), quoting its forensic report shared two weeks ago with the High Commission of India, confirmed that Zubeen died of drowning while swimming near St John’s Island, and ruled out poisoning or foul play.
According to Singaporean authorities, Zubeen was found unconscious in the waters off St John’s Island on September 19. Paramedics rushed him to Singapore General Hospital, where he was declared dead the same day. His death certificate listed drowning as the cause of death.
Videos circulated online showed Zubeen initially jumping into the sea wearing a life vest, though later reports indicated he may have removed the flotation device before re-entering the water. The SPF has urged the public not to share any images or footage related to the incident.
Zubeen had travelled to Singapore to take part in events marking 60 years of India–Singapore diplomatic ties and the India–ASEAN Year of Tourism. He was scheduled to perform at the North East India Festival from September 19–21, which was cancelled after his sudden demise.
Authorities conducted the first autopsy in Singapore and later performed a second post-mortem at GMCH in Guwahati before cremating him on September 23.
So far, the Assam Police have arrested seven individuals in connection with the case. Those held include Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the festival; Zubeen’s manager Siddharth Sharma; band members Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta; Zubeen’s cousin and Assam Police Service officer Sandipan Garg; and two personal security officers — Paresh Baishya and Nandeswar Bora.
Now that toxicological evidence rules out poisoning, the SIT plans to re-examine the timeline and circumstances of Zubeen’s final hours to determine whether negligence or procedural lapses led to his death by drowning.
