Zubeen Garg’s body arrives in Guwahati after midnight chaos at airport
Thousands of fans gather to pay their respects to the popular singer; Assam government declares three-day state mourning
The mortal remains of popular singer Zubeen Garg reached Guwahati from Delhi around 7 am on Sunday (September 21) and were taken to his residence. Thousands of grieving fans gathered outside the airport as well as his Kahilipara residence to welcome the artiste back home one last time.
Garg’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, and senior state government officials were at the airport to receive the body. Several artists started arriving at the airport around 2 am, along with political leaders. The mortal remains were taken out of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport through the VIP exit in a flower-bedecked ambulance.
Details of last rites yet to be revealed
The body will be kept at his residence for about one-and-a-half hours for his family members, including his 85-year-old ailing father, to pay their last respects.
Later, the body will be shifted to the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex for people to pay their homage from 9 am to 7 pm.
Also read: Zubeen Garg obit: The voice that carried Assam’s love, longing and loss in its timbre
Details of the last rites are yet to be revealed, with the state government set to consult the singer’s family and different organisations. The Assam Cabinet will meet on Sunday evening to decide on the cremation venue.
Casket did not fit in chartered flight
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who went to Delhi to personally bring Garg’s body home, earlier said the casket could not be accommodated in any chartered flight and was flown to Guwahati on a regular flight.
The flight carrying Garg’s body left New Delhi at 4.30 am Sunday. Garg’s body arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi around Saturday midnight from Singapore, where he died a day earlier while swimming in the sea without a life jacket.
“'The casket carrying the mortal remains of our beloved Zubeen Garg from Singapore was too large to be accommodated in any chartered flight, despite our sustained efforts for over two hours,” Sarma said in an X post.
“His mortal remains are now being flown to Guwahati on Air India Express flight IX 1197, which departed at 4:30 am and is currently airborne.”
CM Sarma received the singer’s body at the airport and paid his tribute. He was accompanied by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and senior Assam government officials posted in the national capital.
Also read: How did Zubeen Garg die? It wasn't a scuba accident; Assam CM reveals new details
Scuffle at airport
Thousands of people gathered outside the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati since Saturday night to receive the singing icon’s body. A scuffle broke out in the night, when some fans broke through barricades and started advancing towards the airport building.
Police had to resort to baton-charge to control the situation at the airport as hundreds of people broke through at least two barricades before being stopped by security forces past midnight.
A section of the crowd reportedly threw water bottles at the security forces and also tried to damage a couple of police vehicles. Police action and repeated appeals by a section of fans to remain calm helped calm the situation.
Similar scenes also unfolded in front of Garg’s flat in Kahilipara as hundreds gathered there to mourn their beloved artist, blocking the road leading to the apartment block. Many fans sang Garg’s popular numbers, with some strumming their guitars while waiting to welcome their favourite star back home one last time.
(With agency inputs)