New Delhi / Guwahati, October 1, 2025 — In a major development in the investigation into the death of celebrated Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, Assam Police on Wednesday arrested Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of the North East India Festival (NEIF). Mahanta was detained at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport shortly after he landed from Singapore.

Police also arrested Zubeen’s manager, Siddharth Sharma, in connection with the case. Both were brought to Guwahati and produced before the court, which remanded them to 14 days’ police custody.

According to sources in the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Mahanta and Sharma have been booked under multiple sections, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal conspiracy, and causing death by negligence. Investigators said they are examining financial, logistical, and communication records related to Zubeen’s final days in Singapore, where the artist passed away on 19 September 2025.

The arrest has triggered widespread reactions across Assam, where Zubeen’s fan base spans generations. Supporters gathered in several parts of Guwahati demanding a transparent and swift probe.

Police officials said they have initiated the process of securing medical and post-mortem documents from Singapore through diplomatic channels to strengthen the investigation.

As the probe continues, the focus now shifts to uncovering the circumstances leading to the singer’s untimely death and the role of those closely associated with him during his final days abroad.

• Dipanjana D