Celebrated Bollywood and Assamese singer Zubeen Garg has died in a freak accident while scuba diving in Singapore. 

The 52-year-old artiste was visiting the city-state for the North East India Festival, where he was scheduled to perform on 20 and 21 September.

Garg reportedly experienced breathing difficulties during a dive. He was rescued from the sea and given CPR before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital, but doctors declared him dead at around 2.30 pm India time. 

Sources said that crew members tried to revive him at the scene, but their efforts failed, and at 5.14 pm Singapore time doctors confirmed his death. 

His body will undergo an autopsy and is expected to be flown back to Assam either today or tomorrow.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on X that he was in constant touch with the Indian High Commission in Singapore to arrange the repatriation of Garg’s remains.I

I am in constant touch with the High Commissioner of India HE Dr Shilpak Ambule. We are coordinating to ensure beloved Zubeen’s mortal remains return to Assam at the earliest. As soon as the process is firmed up, I will share an update, Sarma said.

A representative of the North East India Festival, Anuj Kumar Boruah, confirmed that the singer had breathing problems while scuba diving.“

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of Zubeen Garg’s passing. While scuba diving, he experienced breathing difficulties and was immediately given CPR before being rushed to Singapore General Hospital. Despite efforts to save him, he was declared deceased in the ICU around 2.30 pm IST,” said.

Went diving without organisers’

knowledgeFestival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta revealed that Garg had gone on a yacht trip with members of the local Assamese community without the festival organisers’ knowledge.

With profound grief, we share the heartbreaking news that our beloved icon, Zubeen Garg, passed away today at Singapore General Hospital around 2:30 pm. Zubeen had arrived in Singapore just the day before yesterday. He was scheduled to be with us at the festival tomorrow, meeting and interacting with people.E

Earlier today, our entire team was engaged in a business meeting with senior Singaporean industrialists and policymakers at the Shangri-La Hotel to facilitate investments in Northeast India,” Mahanta wrote on Instagram.

During the meeting, we received a call from Zubeen’s manager informing us that he had met with an accident and had been rushed to Singapore General Hospital. We later learned that a few members of the local Assamese community had taken him on a yacht visit, of which we had no prior knowledge, he added.

Mahanta said the festival had been cancelled in the wake of the tragedy.“

In light of this tragedy, we are cancelling the event. We are devastated and pray for the departed soul of Zubeen Garg. Om Shanti.”

An illustrious career

Zubeen Garg was a household name in Assam and across India, renowned for his contributions to music in Assamese, Bengali and Hindi films. He shot to national fame with the chartbuster Ya Ali from the film Gangster, and followed it with popular numbers such as Dil Tu Hi Bataa from Krrish 3.

He also acted in and directed several Assamese films, including Kanchanjunga, Mission China, Dinabandhu and Mon Jai.

In 2022, Garg suffered a minor head injury after a fall at a resort in Dibrugarh and was airlifted to Guwahati for treatment.

Just days before his death, Garg had invited fans via Instagram to attend the festival in Singapore, saying he would perform on 20 September with his “popular Hindi, Bengali and Assamese songs”.

Source: NDTV