Intoxicated, Refused Life Jacket: Singapore Police Say Zubeen Garg Not Murdered

Singer Zubeen Garg died by drowning on 19 September 2025 during a yacht trip, Singapore police reiterated.

After Zubeen Garg's unfortunate death on 19 September, Assam is at a standstill.

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

Singer Zubeen Garg died by drowning on 19 September 2025 during a yacht trip in Singapore, a day before he was scheduled to perform at the North East India Festival. The official death certificate issued by Singapore authorities on 20 September 2025 listed the cause of death as drowning.

An autopsy found a high blood alcohol level in his body. He was pronounced dead at 5:13 pm after being taken to hospital.

According to Scroll, Singapore Police told a Coroner’s Inquiry that Zubeen Garg was “severely intoxicated” and refused to wear a life jacket despite repeated reminders from the yacht captain. Witnesses stated that he did not display suicidal tendencies or signs of duress before his death.

The police officer testified that Garg began swimming away from the yacht without a life jacket, and soon after, he became motionless and was found floating face down.

Videos recorded by witnesses showed Zubeen Garg removing his life jacket before entering the water. Emergency services were called at 3:36 pm, and a Police Coast Guard vessel arrived at the scene in less than 10 minutes as coverage revealed. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was administered on board the yacht before he was transported to the hospital.

Singapore’s legal limit for blood alcohol content is 80 mg per 100 ml, while the autopsy found 333 mg per 100 ml in Garg’s body. The police reiterated on 19 December 2025 that they did not suspect any foul play in the death, a position they had also stated in October. The Coroner’s Inquiry found no evidence of coercion or external pressure leading to the incident as details emerged.

“He did not wear a life jacket, despite repeated reminders by the yacht captain to wear one,” Assistant Superintendent of Police David Lim testified at the inquiry.

Despite the findings in Singapore, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in India filed a chargesheet in a Guwahati court on 12 December 2025, accusing four of the seven arrested persons of murder. The four charged are Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of the North East India Festival; Siddharatha Sharma, Garg’s manager; and two musicians, Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, who were present on the yacht. Garg’s cousin, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sandipan Garg, was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while two personal security officers were accused of criminal breach of trust following reports.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has publicly stated that he does not believe Zubeen Garg’s death was accidental and has described it as a murder. The event where Garg was scheduled to perform was organised by the Indian government and the Indian High Commission in Singapore, with support from the Assam Association and the North East India Association as analysis showed.

“Suddenly, the deceased became motionless and was floating face down,” the Singapore Police Coast Guard officer stated during the inquiry.

The investigation in India continues, with the SIT’s chargesheet marking a significant development. However, Singapore authorities maintain that their inquiry found no evidence of foul play or external involvement in the drowning at the conclusion.

Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.