SINGAPORE — Indian singer Zubeen Garg was “severely intoxicated” when he drowned while swimming in waters near Lazarus Island, a police investigator revealed on Jan 14.
Garg, 53, had consumed alcohol and refused a life vest before jumping off a yacht in September 2025, said Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) David Lim, who was testifying during a hearing at the coroner’s court.
As his friends tried to convince him to swim back to the yacht, Garg suddenly became motionless and began floating face down, added ASP Lim, who is with the Police Coast Guard.
The investigator said the singer was pulled back to the yacht, and his friends tried to resuscitate him, but Garg was later pronounced dead in hospital on Sept 19, 2025.
The cause of his death was drowning.
The popular artiste from the north-eastern state of Assam in India was in Singapore for the North East India Festival, a cultural festival organised by the Assamese community in Singapore.
ASP Lim was the first witness to take the stand at a coroner’s inquiry into the death of the singer, which was attended by several members of the public and Garg’s uncle and nephew.
State Counsel Sean Teh said there are 35 witnesses in total in this case, with seven slated to take the stand on Jan 14.
ASP Lim, who took the stand in the morning, said witnesses noted that Garg did not have any suicidal tendencies and was not subjected to duress or coercion before his death.
“He did not wear a life jacket, despite repeated reminders by the yacht captain to wear one,” added the investigator.
Garg had 333 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood in his system, which an autopsy report said would have impacted his coordination.
In comparison, the current drink driving limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
Garg and several other individuals had boarded the yacht at Marina at Keppel Bay at around 2pm on Sept 19, 2025.
The singer and his entourage were briefed that they ought to don life jackets before swimming.
When they arrived near Lazarus Island at around 3pm, Garg donned a life jacket and jumped in for a swim.
However, he removed his life jacket while in the water, as he found it was too big for him, said ASP Lim.
The investigator added that Garg later returned to the yacht and had to be helped up as he was breathing heavily.
“The deceased then decided to resume swimming, and a smaller life jacket was placed over his shoulders but he refused to wear it,” said ASP Lim.
Garg started to swim towards Lazarus Island without a life jacket, while the others on the yacht tried to convince him to swim back.
“Suddenly, the deceased became motionless and was floating face down,” testified ASP Lim, who added that witnesses also saw that he was foaming from the mouth.
Garg was pulled back onto the yacht, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered on him while an emergency call was made at 3.36pm.
ASP Lim said a Police Coast Guard boat was dispatched and arrived at the yacht in less than 10 minutes.
The yacht was then guided to travel to Marina South Pier, where an ambulance took Garg to Singapore General Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 5.13pm.
Videos taken from witnesses’ mobile phones were played in court, showing Garg removing his life jacket and subsequently struggling to get onto the yacht.
Following Garg’s death, a special investigation team in India charged multiple people, including the organiser of the festival in Singapore, Shyamkanu Mahanta, with murder.
Three other associates of the singer — Siddhartha Sharma, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta — were also charged with the offence.
The hearing continues.
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