When late Zubeen Garg defended a female cop's suspension for kissing him on stage: 'Will take action'

Zubeen Garg, a well-known singer and composer from Assam, has died at the age of 52. He passed away in Singapore following a scuba diving incident. Reports confirm that he was in the country to perform at the North East India Festival.

According to local authorities, Garg encountered breathing difficulties during a dive. He was pulled from the water by Singapore police and taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors were unable to revive him. An official report is expected to provide further details.

Zubeen had a long career in music, contributing to Assamese and Hindi films, albums, and stage performances. He was widely followed across Assam and by fans from various parts of the country.

In 2024, Garg was involved in an incident that drew widespread attention online. During a concert held on May 10 in Chabua, Assam, a female home guard, Milliprabha Chutia, walked onto the stage, hugged and kissed him, and touched his feet. A video of the incident went viral, after which she was suspended from duty.

Zubeen spoke out publicly after learning of the suspension. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he said: She shouldn’t have been suspended. I got to know on Wednesday, the concert happened a week ago. It’s not a bad thing that she came, hugged, and cried. I am feeling bad about it as someone she admires. I don’t know exactly what led to the suspension. I will take some action for sure on this.

He also said that such moments, though rare, are often a result of emotional expression from fans, adding: All this happens only sometimes. I try to always stop it and cooperate with people, with their emotions. People adore me a lot, so they don’t do this often.”

The singer’s sudden death has left fans and colleagues in shock. His funeral arrangements are yet to be made public.