A volatile situation unfolded in Assam as five individuals arrested in connection with the death of singer Zubeen Garg were transferred from Guwahati to Baksa district jail. Outside the Baksa district jail, a mob of approximately one hundred people gathered, escalating into stone pelting and the torching of vehicles. Police were compelled to use baton charges and tear gas to regain control, resulting in injuries to several individuals, including security personnel and journalists.
Reports indicate that three police vehicles and one private TV channel vehicle were set ablaze amidst the unrest. Authorities responded by imposing prohibitory orders in Mushalpur town and the jail vicinity, while also suspending internet and mobile data services throughout the district. By Wednesday evening, normalcy was reported to have been restored.
The five accused, including Garg’s manager, were initially presented in a Guwahati court and remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. The transfer to Baksa, about 100 kilometers away, coincided with the large public gathering that turned violent.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma condemned the incident, urging public faith in the judicial and police systems. He also suggested that certain elements were attempting to destabilize the region and politicize Zubeen Garg’s death, referencing a potential ‘Nepal-like situation’. Garg had reportedly drowned during a yacht party in Singapore in September.
The arrested individuals include event organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta, singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, Assam police officer and Garg’s cousin Sandipan Garg, and constables Paresh Baishya and Nandeswar Bora. The CID has registered cases including murder and criminal conspiracy.
Further investigations are ongoing, with the police remand for two other accused, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, set to expire soon. Additionally, two Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from Singapore have arrived to provide statements as part of the probe, with a third expected to follow. Singaporean authorities are also conducting a separate investigation into the matter and have pledged cooperation.