# Over 100 Detained Outside Assam Secretariat Seeking Justice for Zubeen Garg

> Police moved more than a hundred demonstrators away from the Assam Secretariat in buses as they gathered to demand strict punishment over singer Zubeen Garg's death.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Assam · **Published:** 2026-10-20 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/assam/over-100-detained-outside-assam-secretariat-seeking-justice-for-zubeen-garg-49842 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Zubeen Garg, Assam Secretariat, Akhil Gogoi, Guwahati, Assam CID, Shyamkanu Mahanta, Himanta Biswa Sarma

Tensions flared in Guwahati as law enforcement personnel blocked a gathering of over one hundred individuals attempting to form a human chain outside the Assam Secretariat. The demonstrators, who were calling for accountability and punishment for those allegedly responsible for the death of singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore last year, were swiftly removed from the site in buses. Organizers emphasized that the assembly was framed as a grassroots public initiative rather than a formal political party demonstration.

## Public Mobilization and Protests

Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi, heading the Raijor Dal, had previously appealed to citizens to gather outside the government headquarters. He had also requested official permission from the chief minister to stage the event. Supporters and members from various civic organizations arrived carrying placards demanding justice, but police intervened to prevent any prolonged demonstration, detaining those present. The protest followed a strategic meeting convened by Gogoi at Zubeen Kshetra, the late singer's cremation site on the outskirts of Guwahati.

## Legal Proceedings and Charges Filed

During that gathering, a twenty-one-member committee was established to press officials for a supplementary charge sheet, seek severe penalties for the accused, challenge existing bails, and sustain public pressure. In the wake of the singer's drowning, more than sixty police complaints were filed across Assam, prompting a special investigation team from the state CID to take over the inquiry. By December of last year, the investigative unit filed formal charges in a Guwahati court against seven individuals, four of whom face direct murder counts.

## Status of Accused and Court Rulings

The individuals named in the case include festival chief organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta, manager Siddharth Sharma, band members Amritprava Mahanta and Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, cousin and suspended police official Sandipon Garg, alongside personal security guards Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya. Court records indicate that Amritprava Mahanta and Sandipon Garg secured bail through the Gauhati High Court and have since been released. State authorities have stated an intention to contest these bail orders in the Supreme Court, a legal path also pursued by Morigaon lawyer Ratul Bora, who filed the initial complaint following the incident. While the two security personnel obtained bail in September regarding a separate asset case, they remain in custody concerning the singer's death.

## Divergent Findings and Official Stance

Meanwhile, investigations conducted in Singapore concluded without uncovering evidence of foul play, with local judicial observations indicating the artist was heavily intoxicated and declined a life jacket prior to drowning near Lazarus Island. Assam officials maintain that these foreign findings do not invalidate the ongoing local investigation. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has previously characterized the case to the legislative assembly as a direct and premeditated homicide.

## What this means for you
The detention and subsequent security measures have caused brief disruptions and increased police deployment around government administrative zones in Guwahati.

- **In Assam:** Commuters and local residents experienced movement restrictions around the state secretariat due to heightened security barricades. The ongoing demonstrations continue to influence public discourse and political mobilization across the region.

- **Legally:** The state government's decision to contest high court bails in the Supreme Court indicates prolonged legal battles ahead. This ongoing litigation sets a precedent for how high-profile overseas casualties involving public figures are handled across jurisdictions.

## Why this happened
The public outcry and subsequent demonstrations stem from unresolved public grief and legal disputes surrounding the drowning of singer Zubeen Garg while visiting Singapore.

- **Tragic Drowning:** The artist passed away in September last year while swimming off Lazarus Island, prompting immediate skepticism and demands for transparent investigations from supporters.

- **Police Action:** The filing of over sixty FIRs across Assam led to a dedicated SIT probe and the subsequent filing of murder charges against seven individuals in December.

- **Bail Discontent:** Public protests erupted after the Gauhati High Court granted bail to certain accused individuals, creating friction between citizens seeking harsher penalties and the ongoing judicial process.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. When and where did Zubeen Garg pass away?
Zubeen Garg died on September 19 last year while swimming in the sea in Singapore.

### 2. Who called for the protest outside the Assam Secretariat?
Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi urged citizens to assemble outside the secretariat for the human chain.

### 3. How many individuals were named in the CID charge sheet?
The SIT filed a charge sheet against seven people in a Guwahati court in December.

### 4. Which accused individuals have been granted bail?
Amritprava Mahanta and Sandipon Garg were granted bail by the Gauhati High Court.

### 5. What is the Assam government's official stance on the death?
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the assembly that the incident was a plain and simple murder.

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