GUWAHATI: Amid public anger over legendary singer Zubeen Garg’s death under mysterious circumstances in Singapore, where he was scheduled to perform at the 4th Northeast India Festival, the Assam government on Wednesday announced a ban on the festival’s organiser, Shaymkanu Mahanta.
“The State Government has decided to prohibit Shri Shaymkanu Mahanta and any organisation associated with him from holding any functions or festivals within the State of Assam,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, himself a big fan of the singer, posted on X.
“Further, the State Government will not provide any financial grant, advertisement, or sponsorship to any event with which he (Mahanta) is associated, either directly or indirectly,” Sarma said.
He further stated that the state government would request the Centre not to extend any financial assistance or sponsorship to Mahanta in any manner.
After the untimely demise of Garg (52), whose last rites were performed on Tuesday in the presence of thousands of grieving people, 54 FIRs were lodged across Assam by various organisations and individuals against Mahanta and others, including the singer’s manager Siddharth Sarma.
The CID of Assam police will probe the death.
The second post-mortem on Garg’s body was conducted at the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital in the presence of AIIMS doctors on Tuesday morning. The decision on the second autopsy followed a demand from a section of people.
The death certificate, after the conduct of the first autopsy in Singapore, mentioned drowning as the cause of death.
Meanwhile, the Congress petitioned President Droupadi Murmu seeking a “CBI probe led by a High Court Judge to aid the Assam CID investigate” Garg’s death.
“I am writing to express my serious concerns about the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg…and to emphasise the urgent need for additional investigative support due to jurisdictional constraints and substantial evidence suggesting a conspiracy,” leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia wrote in a letter addressed to the President of India.
Political party Raijor Dal also demanded a CBI probe. In a letter addressed to CM Sarma, it further demanded the arrest of all those responsible for the singer's death.