Popular Assamese singer-songwriter Zubeen Garg, who died in Singapore a day before he was scheduled to perform at a festival in September last year, drowned in waters off Lazarus Island after declining to wear a life jacket, a Singapore court was told on Wednesday.
Zubeen Garg, 52, was part of a yacht party on September 19, 2025 and initially wore a life jacket but later removed it and declined to put on another one that was offered to him, the Singapore Police's chief investigating officer told the court while opening the inquiry, Channel News Asia reported.
Zubeen Garg was severely drunk, no foulplay: Police
At the time, he was severely intoxicated and several witnesses saw him attempting to swim back to the yacht before going limp and floating face down in the water.
He was quickly pulled back onto the yacht and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was administered, but he was pronounced dead later the same day. The court heard that Garg had a medical history of hypertension and epilepsy, with his last known epileptic episode reported in 2024, the report said.
It remains unclear whether he had taken his regular epilepsy medication on the day of the incident, as eyewitness accounts were insufficient to confirm this, the report added.
Singapore police said there was no suspicion of foul play in his death.
Concerns raised by Zubeen's kin
Before the inquiry began on Wednesday, Garg’s uncle read out a prepared statement to the court, raising several concerns the family had regarding the circumstances surrounding the death.
He said Garg had walked out of his hotel room "alive and full of promise" on September 19, 2025, but was dead by the end of the day.
"Between those two moments lie a sequence of events the family doesn't fully understand," Garg’s uncle said.
He sought a full and chronological account of events, including who planned the outing, who accompanied Garg, and his physical condition and health "at every stage".
He said his biggest concern was why Garg entered the sea, questioning whether he did so of his own free will or whether he was encouraged or "insisted" upon by others.
Questions raised over delay in medical attention
Garg’s uncle also questioned whether there was any delay in providing medical assistance and said family members in India "all want to know the truth".
Garg’s wife was unable to attend the inquiry but raised similar concerns, including whether the police conclusion of no foul play took into account any omissions, failures to act or lapses.
At the outset, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda said some of the facts being sought were not relevant to the circumstances that led to the death.
He told Garg’s uncle that he was seeking a level of detail that extended into matters not directly relevant to establishing the facts immediately before or after Garg’s death.
The coroner said the uncle was free to question the witnesses who would testify during the inquiry. A total of 35 witnesses are expected to be called, including those who were on the yacht, the boat captain, police officers and paramedics.
Zubeen Garg death case
Garg was in Singapore to perform at the North East India Festival in September 2025.
On September 19, 2025, Garg left his hotel and boarded a yacht at the Marina at Keppel Bay. Around 20 people were on board, including friends and colleagues, the court was told.
According to the officer, snacks, drinks and alcohol were served on the yacht. Several witnesses stated that they saw Garg consuming alcohol, with one saying he had drunk a few cups of liquor, gin and whisky, along with a few sips of Guinness Stout, the court was informed.
Also read: What is a coroner's inquiry and why is one being held for Zubeen Garg in Singapore?
