Zubeen Garg's death case: Assam police arrest nine over Baksa violence

Guwahati: Nine people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence that erupted during the transfer of five individuals accused in the Zubeen Garg death case to a jail in Assam’s Baksa district, police said on Saturday.

According to Baksa Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ujjal Pratim Baruah, several other people involved in the unrest have been identified, and a search is underway to apprehend them.

"We have arrested nine people so far. More have been identified. Some of the accused are absconding, but we will apprehend them soon. We have taken this investigation very seriously, and a team is taking it forward. The media, local people, all are helping us," SSP Baruah said.

Violent protests erupted near the Baksa jail on Wednesday, (October 15, 2025), when five accused in Zubeen Garg's death case were brought there after a Guwahati court remanded them to judicial custody.

SSP Baruah assured that "true fans of Garg have nothing to worry as those who incited the violence in the guise of being fans have been identified."

Several people, including police personnel and media persons, were injured when protestors hurled stones at the vehicles carrying the five accused and torched a number of other vehicles.

Police resorted to baton-charges and fire tear gas shells to control the situation.

Internet and mobile data services, which were suspended in the district following the unrest, were restored on Friday, (October 17, 2025), as the situation returned to normal.

However, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS remain in force in Nikashi town, where the jail is located, and adjoining areas. Security has also been tightened in and around the jail where the accused are currently lodged.

Assam’s beloved singer-composer Zubeen Garg died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19 while he was there to participate in the 4th North East India Festival (NEIF).

The five accused lodged at Baksa jail are: NEIF chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin and police officer Sandipan Garg, and his personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya.

Two others arrested in the same case—Garg’s band members Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta—were also remanded to judicial custody by the Kamrup (Metro) chief judicial magistrate on Friday. They have been taken to Haflong prison in Dima Hasao district.

A 10-member special investigation team (SIT) of the CID of the Assam Police is probing the death.