Violence Erupts in Baksa Amid Garg Death Fury
PEC Slams Assaults on Media in Zubeen Protests
By Nava Thakuria*
Guwahati: A mob of agitators demanding instant justice for Assamese cultural icon Zubeen Garg turned violent on October 15, 2025, in Assam’s Baksa district, attacking several media persons covering a protest as five accused in the singer’s mysterious death were shifted from Guwahati to a new jail. The assault, which injured over a dozen reporters and videographers from channels including ND24, NKTV, News Live, Pratidin Time, DY365, News 18 Assam/NE, Pratham Khabar, Prag News, Pratibimba Live, and ETV Bharat, prompted the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) to condemn the attacks and urge Assam authorities to prosecute the culprits while providing care for the wounded.
The violence erupted when news broke of the transfer of five suspects—previously arrested by a special investigation team (SIT) under Assam Police’s CID—to the isolated Baksa jail, inaugurated in June for enhanced security. Agitators, protesting the shift and calling for immediate punishment over a prolonged judicial process, gathered outside the facility and pelted stones at the police convoy. In retaliation, police forces clashed with the crowd, leading to torched vehicles, including one owned by Guwahati-based DY365. Among the injured media workers were Dhruba Bora, Pradip Das, and Paragmoni Das from ND24; Rana Deka, Banajit Kalita, and Apurba Sarma from NKTV; Brajen Talukder and Krishna Deka from News Live; Abhijit Talukder from DY365; Birinchi Kr Deka from News 18 Assam/NE; Nokul Talukder from Pratidin Time; Jintumoni Das from Pratham Khabar; Sourav Dey from Prag News; Akhyendra Deka from Pratibimba Live; and Dilip Kr Boro from ETV Bharat. Several agitators and police personnel also sustained injuries.
PEC President Blaise Lempen, from pressemblem.ch, stated on October 16 in Geneva: “We condemn the physical assaults on the media persons on duty as they were doing their duties only. The authorities in Assam need to take care of all injured individuals and nab the culprits to punish them under the law.” He further emphasised the need for orientation courses for ground reporters and video journalists to protect them amid volatile situations in South Asia.
Zubeen Garg, the beloved 53-year-old singer who lent his voice to thousands of songs in multiple languages, died mysteriously on September 19, 2025, in Singapore during a planned performance at the 4th North East India Festival. His death, initially certified as drowning by Singaporean authorities following an autopsy, sparked outrage after his body was handed over; a second postmortem at Gauhati Medical College Hospital was conducted amid allegations of foul play, though reports from both autopsies and toxicology findings from Delhi’s Central Forensic Science Laboratory remain undisclosed. Over one million fans attended his cremation near Guwahati, now a round-the-clock shrine drawing hundreds of visitors. Public fury persists, with a digital campaign ‘Justice for Zubeen Garg’ mobilising millions on social media for legal action against perpetrators. More than 60 police complaints were filed across Assam even before his last rites, prompting the SIT’s formation.
Arrests include festival chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, manager Siddharth Sharma, associate Shekarjyoti Goswami, co-singer Amritprabha, Zubeen’s cousin and suspended district police officer Sandipan Garg, and personal security officers Nandeshwar Bora and Paresh (Prabin) Baishya, suspected of financial misappropriation. A group of Singapore-based Assamese professionals—Rupkamal Kalita, Abhimanyu Talukdar, Tanmay Phukan, Jiolangsat Narzary, Parikshit Sharma, Siddhartha Bora, Bhaskar Jyoti Dutta, Sushmita Goswami, Debojyoti Hazarika, Pratim Bhuyan, and Wajid Ahmed—who joined Garg on a yacht trip to Saint John’s Island, have recorded statements with the SIT in Guwahati.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the formation of a one-man judicial commission under Gauhati High Court Justice Soumitra Saikia to oversee the investigation. Sarma travelled to New Delhi to meet acting Singapore High Commissioner Alice Cheng, securing assurances of cooperation for an Assam police team visiting Singapore. The public outcry shows no signs of fading, with demands for transparency fueling ongoing protests.
– global bihari bureau
