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Why did chaos erupt in Assam’s Baksa as the convoy carrying the accused in Zubeen Garg’s mysterious death was attacked? What led the court to shift them to a newly opened, empty jail — and what does the latest post-mortem report reveal about the singer’s death?
Mob attacks convoy transporting five accused in Zubeen Garg’s death case.
Guwahati: Tensions flared in Assam’s Baksa district on Wednesday when a mob pelted stones at a police convoy transporting five accused linked to the death of popular singer Zubeen Garg. The convoy was en route to the Baksa District Jail, recently inaugurated in June, following a court order sending the accused to judicial custody.
The violent scenes unfolded as locals gathered outside the newly built prison, protesting the state government’s decision to house the accused there. Visuals from the scene showed angry residents chasing and attacking the convoy as it entered the jail premises.
The five accused — Shyamkanu Mahanta, organizer of the Northeast India Festival; Siddhartha Sharma, Garg’s manager; Sandipan Garg, an Assam Police Service officer and the singer’s cousin; and Personal Security Officers Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya — were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in Guwahati after completing 14 days of police custody.
Advocate Pradip Konwar, representing the Assam government, confirmed that the court had ordered judicial custody. “After the completion of 14 days of police custody, they were produced before the court, which ordered that they be sent to judicial custody,” Konwar said. None of the five were represented by lawyers at the hearing.
Following the court’s direction, the Assam government decided to shift the accused to the Baksa District Jail, which currently has no other inmates, after concerns were raised about their safety in regular prisons.
“Zubeen Garg was poisoned,” reveals singer’s friend; Alleging conspiracy to kill him
The transfer decision, however, triggered outrage among locals. Hundreds reportedly gathered outside the jail complex, demanding justice for the late singer and expressing anger over what they perceived as “special treatment” for the accused. The protests quickly turned violent as stones were hurled at police vehicles.
Despite the tension, all five accused were safely lodged in the jail, and security has been tightened around the facility.
Court orders judicial custody after 14 days of police interrogation.
Meanwhile, a major development in the case came with the official post-mortem report from the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), which ruled out poisoning as the cause of Zubeen Garg’s death. The report confirmed that no traces of toxins or poisonous substances were found in his viscera or body fluids, dismissing earlier speculation of foul play.
Sources revealed that the cause of death was drowning, aligning with the autopsy conducted in Singapore, where the 51-year-old singer had died during a yacht outing on September 19. Minor external injuries found on the body were described as “insufficient to cause death.”
These findings contradict the claims made by Zubeen’s band member Shekharjyoti Goswami, who alleged in his “grounds of arrest” that the prime accused — Mahanta and Sharma — may have poisoned the singer. Both Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta, also arrested in the case, remain in police custody until October 17.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues to probe the case amid growing public outrage and emotional appeals for justice. With two autopsy reports now confirming drowning as the cause of death, investigators are expected to focus on the circumstances leading up to the tragedy during the Singapore trip.
Zubeen Garg’s sudden demise left millions in shock and grief across Assam and the Northeast, where he remains an iconic cultural figure.
