Delhi,20th September 2025: Senior journalist Paragmoni Aditya has raised serious questions over the handling of legendary Assamese singer Zubeen Garg’s untimely death in Singapore. According to Aditya, there was a deliberate attempt to hide the news of Zubeen’s passing for nearly 8–9 hours, misleading fans, media, and even several dignitaries from Assam.
Allegations of Concealment
Aditya’s post alleges that while Zubeen’s lifeless body lay at Singapore General Hospital, the chief organizer of the North East Festival, Shyamkanu Mahanta, continued hosting a business summit without disclosing the tragedy.
Even after Assamese media outlets began reporting the story, Mahanta and his team allegedly tried to downplay the incident by giving the impression that “nothing major had happened.”
Role of Zubeen’s Manager and Assam Association
The post also accuses Zubeen’s manager Siddharth Sharma and certain members of the Singapore Assam Association, including Upamanyu Talukdar, of deliberately concealing the truth. Reportedly, Sharma had informed a few Guwahati-based individuals about the incident but asked them to “keep their mouths shut.”
It is alleged that the yacht trip, during which Zubeen suffered his fatal collapse, was not an official cultural program but a private party organized for a few expatriate Assamese individuals. The Singapore Assam Association’s name was allegedly misused for this purpose.
Misleading Information Spread
Aditya writes that despite CPR attempts failing early on, those present continued spreading misleading information to divert attention from the actual situation. Till around 3 PM on Friday, many guests attending the North East Festival were reportedly given false updates about Zubeen’s health.
Call for Investigation
Given the sensitivity of the matter, Aditya stressed the need for a full-scale investigation, demanding accountability from three parties:
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North East Festival organizers (led by Shyamkanu Mahanta)
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Singapore Assam Association members involved in the yacht trip
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Zubeen Garg’s manager, Siddharth Sharma
Aditya concluded that even if not directly responsible for Zubeen’s death, their irresponsible behavior, negligence, and deliberate misinformation made them complicit in mishandling the tragic episode.
A Painful Loss for Assam
For millions of Assamese people, Zubeen Garg was not just a singer but an emotion and heartbeat of the state. His sudden demise at the age of 52 has left Assam in mourning, while questions remain unanswered about how such a preventable tragedy unfolded.
