Guwahati: A big crowd of Zubeen Garg fans gathered outside his manager Siddharth Sharma’s residence here on Thursday, demanding his arrest.
Siddharth, having served as Zubeen’s manager since 2014, has been out of public view since the sudden death of the popular singer in Singapore on September 19.
The 52-year-old Zubeen, who was in Singapore for the North East India Festival, died by drowning. The singer had complications while swimming, reportedly without wearing a life jacket, during a yacht trip. He passed away at Singapore General Hospital
The nature of his death led to a public outcry, and there have been continued protests in Guwahati over suspicion of foul play and unanswered questions. Multiple FIRs were filed, and the state government even arranged a second post-mortem due to public demand.
On Thursday, hundreds of Zubeen’s fans gathered outside his manager’s residence and attempted to break the iron gate as police personnel inside tried to hold them back, according to The Assam Tribune.
The protests took place on a day when Assam Police’s 10-member special investigating team (SIT), which is probing the singer’s death, conducted separate raids at the residences Zubeen’s manager as well as Northeast India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta.
Cops found none of Mahanta’s family members, except for two house helps, at his Geetanagar house. As for Siddharth’s apartment in Dhirenpara, police found it locked. The door lock was broken in the presence of a magistrate, and a search carried out.
Angry fans also assembled outside the residence of Shyamkanu, who earlier released a statement on social media denying any wrongdoing and claiming innocence.
The Assam government has banned Shyamkanu all organisations affiliated with him from hosting any cultural or public event in the state. Financial support, advertisements, or sponsorships for his events have also been withdrawn by the state, with a request sent to the Centre to do the same.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged people not to spread rumours on social media that could disrupt the SIT investigation. He gave an assurance that if the SIT probe is found to be unsatisfactory, the state will recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry.
