Singapore police told a coroner’s court that singer Zubeen Garg was severely intoxicated and had refused to wear a life vest before drowning near Lazarus Island during a yacht outing. Authorities said no foul play is suspected in his death
Zubeen Garg
Ya Ali singer Zubeen Garg died in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea. He had gone to the Southeast Asian nation to attend an event. Several people associated with him have been summoned as foul play was suspected in his death. As per the latest update, Singapore police said Garg was “severely intoxicated” and had refused to wear a life vest before he drowned.
Zubeen Garg was intoxicated at time of death
Popular Indian singer-songwriter Zubeen Garg was severely intoxicated and drowned off Lazarus Island after declining a life jacket last September, a coroner's court in Singapore was told on Wednesday. The singer initially wore a life jacket but removed it and later declined to put on a second one offered to him, the chief investigating officer told the court in the opening of the inquiry, Channel News Asia reported.
At the time, Garg was also severely intoxicated, and several witnesses saw him trying to swim back to the yacht when he went limp and began floating with his face in the water, the Channel said, quoting the officer. Garg was promptly rescued back to the yacht, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered to him, but he was pronounced dead later that same day.
Zubeen Garg’s medical history
The singer had a medical history of hypertension and epilepsy, with his last known epileptic episode in 2024, the court was told. However, it is unclear if he had taken his regular medicine for epilepsy on the day of the incident, with the evidence of eyewitnesses insufficient to establish that he had actually taken it, it was added.
The Singapore police do not suspect any foul play in his death, according to the Channel report.
A total of 35 witnesses are slated for the inquiry, including witnesses on the yacht, the boat captain, police officers, and paramedics. The chief investigating officer in the case told the court that Garg and 20-odd people on the yacht, including his friends and colleagues, had some snacks, drinks, and alcohol on the boat.
An autopsy performed on Garg determined the cause of death to be drowning. Some injuries were found on his body, but they were found to have been sustained during CPR and rescue efforts, the Channel report said.
A toxicology analysis found that Garg had a blood alcohol concentration of 333 milligrams per 100ml of blood, which suggests severe intoxication resulting in impaired coordination and reflexes, the court was told.
His witness statements also included details such as when he saw Garg face down in the water, he quickly shouted at his friends before swimming to the singer himself. When the captain turned Garg's head away from the water, he saw a lot of foam coming out from his mouth and nose with a terrible smell, the Channel said, quoting the captain.
Zubeen Garg’s death investigation
In India, a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the case, has charged festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's secretary Siddhartha Sharma, and his two band members, Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, with murder, and his cousin Sandipan Garg with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The singer's two personal security officers (PSOs), Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya, have been charged with criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by misappropriating funds or property entrusted to them.
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