In a major development following the tragic death of renowned Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, authorities have arrested his manager, Siddhartha Sharma, along with Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the North East India Festival (NEIF). Garg passed away on September 19 due to a drowning incident at Lazarus Island in Singapore.
Mahanta was detained upon arriving at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport from Singapore, while Sharma was arrested from an apartment in Gurugram. Both were subsequently taken to Guwahati for questioning. The Assam government had formed a 10-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Special DGP M P Gupta, to probe the circumstances surrounding Garg’s death. The SIT had issued notices to several individuals including Mahanta, Sharma, members of the Singapore Assam Association, and festival attendees, asking them to provide statements.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier confirmed that Interpol had issued lookout notices against Mahanta and Sharma, directing them to appear before the CID by October 6. Following their arrests, both were placed in 14-day police custody. Mahanta was intercepted at Delhi airport around midnight, while Sharma was apprehended at a Gurugram toll plaza while traveling from Rajasthan to Delhi.
Zubeen Garg, a beloved icon in Assam’s music scene, had travelled to Singapore to perform at the NEIF, which was cancelled after his sudden passing. His cremation took place with full state honors in Assam’s Kamrup district on September 23, drawing thousands of fans who came to pay their respects to the legendary singer. Stay tuned to know more about it and others only with us and if you have anything to share do comment below and share your thoughts by commenting below.
