Singapore, January 14, 2026 — Popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg drowned near Lazarus Island on September 19, 2025, after consuming alcohol and repeatedly refusing to wear a life jacket while swimming from a yacht, a Singapore coroner’s court heard today.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) David Lim from the Police Coast Guard testified that the 53-year-old singer was “severely intoxicated” with a blood alcohol concentration of 333 mg per 100 ml — over four times Singapore’s legal drink-driving limit of 80 mg/100 ml. This level, according to the autopsy, severely impaired his coordination and reflexes.
Garg was in Singapore to attend the North East India Festival organized by the Assamese community. He boarded a yacht at Marina at Keppel Bay around 2 pm with others. Upon reaching waters near Lazarus Island by 2:30 pm, he initially wore a life vest but removed it while in the water.
After returning to the yacht, breathing heavily and needing assistance to board, Garg decided to swim again. Despite a smaller life jacket being placed over his shoulders, he refused to wear it and swam toward Lazarus Island without safety gear.
“Suddenly, the deceased became motionless and was floating face down,” ASP Lim told the court. Witnesses reported foaming from his mouth. He was pulled back onto the yacht, where CPR was performed, and an emergency call was made at 3:36 pm.
A Police Coast Guard vessel arrived within 10 minutes, escorting the yacht to Marina South Pier. Garg was rushed by ambulance to Singapore General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:13 pm. The official cause of death was drowning.
Witness videos played in court showed Garg removing his life jacket and struggling to reboard the yacht. The investigator emphasized that no suicidal tendencies, duress, or coercion were indicated by witnesses.
Pathologist Dr Chan Shijia testified that bruises on his chest and lips were consistent with resuscitation efforts. Medications for hypertension and epilepsy were detected, but no other drugs.
State Counsel Sean Teh informed the court that 35 witnesses are expected to testify, with seven scheduled for January 14.
Garg’s uncle Manoj Kumar Borthakur, attending the inquiry, expressed the family’s desire for clarity: “On Sept 19, Zubeen walked out of his hotel room alive and full of promise, but at the end of the day he was gone.”
The Singapore Police have repeatedly stated no foul play is suspected, contrasting with an ongoing murder probe in Assam where festival organizers and others face charges.
Lazarus Island, the serene location near the incident:
The coroner’s inquiry, a fact-finding process under the Coroners Act, continues to establish the full circumstances of the beloved singer’s tragic death.
