Garg, an iconic cultural figure revered as Assam’s musical heartbeat, drowned under suspicious circumstances while swimming in Singapore’s waters on September 19. He was in the city for the fourth edition of the North East India Festival (NEIF). Sarma, in a Facebook Live address, emphasised Garg’s stature: “Zubeen is a state symbol; we owe him justice.”
The commission’s formation, slated for Saturday, invites anyone with leads – be they eyewitness accounts or videos – to step forward and testify. “Come share your information; let truth prevail,” the CM urged.
In parallel, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) ramped up its probe, grilling three NEIF organising committee members – Pritam Talukdar, Pankaj Adhikari, and Krishanu Das – in marathon sessions. Details of the interrogation remain sealed, but the trio joins four others already in custody: Garg’s manager Siddharth Sharma, composer Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, festival organiser Shyamkanta Mahanta, and singer Amritprabha Mahanta. All face 14 days’ police remand, arrested in Delhi and remanded by a Guwahati court.
Special Police DG Munna Prasad Gupta, steering the SIT, assured swift closure: “We’re advancing rapidly, leaving no stone unturned to reach a logical conclusion.”
With over 60 FIRs filed statewide and the CID at the helm, the case – blending grief and intrigue – tests Assam’s resolve.