Popular singer-songwriter Zubeen Garg, who drowned in Singapore last September, had declined to wear a life jacket, a coroner’s court in Singapore was informed on Wednesday. The 52-year-old artist was part of a yacht gathering on September 19, just a day before he was scheduled to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore. According to testimony presented in court and reported by Channel News Asia, Garg initially wore a life jacket but later removed it. When he decided to swim again, he was offered a second, smaller life jacket, which he refused. He then entered the water without any safety gear and began swimming alone towards Lazarus Island.
Witnesses told the court that Garg appeared to be attempting to swim back to the yacht when he suddenly went limp and was seen floating face-down in the water. He was quickly pulled back onto the yacht, where cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered. Despite rescue efforts, he was pronounced dead later that same day.
The court was also informed that Garg had a medical history of hypertension and epilepsy, with his last known epileptic episode occurring in 2024. While medications for both conditions were found in his blood, investigators said it was unclear whether he had taken his epilepsy medication on the day of the incident due to insufficient witness evidence.
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Singapore police have ruled out any criminal involvement in the case. An autopsy confirmed drowning as the cause of death, with injuries on his body attributed to CPR and rescue attempts. Toxicology reports revealed a high blood alcohol concentration of 333 mg per 100 ml, indicating severe intoxication and impaired coordination. A forensic pathologist testified that there were no clear signs to confirm whether Garg had suffered a seizure before drowning.
The captain of the yacht Crazy Monkey told the court that Garg appeared unsteady when he boarded, with his friends holding his arms as he was unable to walk properly. He also testified that he had conducted two safety briefings and warned Garg’s friends when the singer attempted to enter the water without a life jacket for the second time, stating that Garg was drunk and should not swim without safety gear. The captain further confirmed that most passengers on board, including Garg, were consuming alcohol. He added that upon spotting Garg floating face down in the water, he immediately alerted others and jumped in to rescue him.
Meanwhile, back in India, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police’s Criminal Investigation Department is probing Garg’s death following the registration of over 60 FIRs across the state. The SIT has charged festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, Garg’s secretary Siddhartha Sharma, and band members Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta with murder, while his cousin and suspended police officer Sandipan Garg has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.