Zubeen Garg’s death caused by drowning, not poisoning: GMCH post-mortem report

Guwahati: The investigation into the death of Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg took a significant turn after the official post-mortem conducted at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) ruled out any possibility of poisoning.

Forensic tests on his viscera and other body fluids found no traces of toxic substances, confirming that his death was not the result of any toxicological interference, sources confirmed on Tuesday.

According to those familiar with the report, the cause of death has been conclusively attributed to drowning.

These findings directly contradict allegations raised by Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, a member of Zubeen’s band and one of the accused in the case.

In his arrest statement, Goswami claimed that the prime accused, Shyamkanu Mahanta, and Zubeen’s manager, Siddharth Sharma, may have poisoned Zubeen, complicating the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) probe.

Investigators had earlier sent viscera samples to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in New Delhi for detailed analysis.

The CFSL confirmed the GMCH findings and stated that it did not detect any poisonous or toxic substances in the biological samples it examined.

Although the post-mortem noted some minor external injuries on Zubeen’s body, sources clarified that those injuries were not severe enough to have contributed to his death.

"There is no link between the external marks and the cause of death," one source said on condition of anonymity.

The findings from GMCH align with the initial autopsy conducted in Singapore shortly after Zubeen’s death.

Singaporean authorities had also concluded that drowning was the cause, as reported by local media there.

Zubeen Garg passed away under mysterious circumstances on September 19 while attending an event abroad, leading to an outpouring of public grief and numerous theories about the circumstances leading to his death.

Authorities conducted the first autopsy in Singapore and later performed the second one at GMCH before cremating him in Guwahati on September 23.

So far, the Assam Police have arrested seven individuals in connection with the case. These include Shyamkanu Mahanta, the chief organiser of the North East India Festival; Zubeen’s manager Siddharth Sharma; band members Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta; Zubeen’s cousin and Assam Police Service officer Sandipan Garg; and two personal security officers, Paresh Baishya and Nandeswar Bora.

Now that toxicological evidence rules out poisoning, the SIT plans to re-examine the timeline and circumstances of Zubeen’s final hours to determine whether negligence or foul play led to his death by drowning.