The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the mysterious death of Assamese music icon Zubeen Garg in Singapore anticipates receiving critical CCTV footage and witness statements from Singapore Police within the next 10 days. SIT chief Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta, who returned from a two-member investigative trip on Thursday, described the collaboration as "fruitful" during a media briefing in Guwahati on Friday. Garg, 51, a beloved figure in Assamese and Bollywood cinema known for hits like "O Mur Apunar Desh", reportedly drowned while swimming at a hotel pool on October 18, 2025, sparking widespread grief and speculation across Northeast India.

Gupta detailed the team's October 21 meeting with a five-member Singapore Police delegation, where information was exchanged under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT). The post-mortem report, conducted at Singapore General Hospital, was promptly shared with the SIT via the Indian High Commission, confirming drowning as the preliminary cause but awaiting toxicology results for any foul play. "We emphasised our need to wrap up within a timeframe, and they assured positive assistance within Singapore's legal framework," Gupta said. The SIT inspected key sites, including the hotel pool and Garg's accommodations, while adhering to local protocols that barred direct access to evidence like footage.

To comply with Singapore's visa and data laws, the team requested CCTV recordings from the hotel where Garg stayed, expecting delivery soon. Statements from several Singapore-based nationals, including Assamese expatriates present during Garg's final hours, will be recorded by local authorities and forwarded. Of the 11 expats identified, 10 have already provided testimonies in Assam, with summons ready for the remaining if needed. Garima Saikia Garg, the singer's wife, visited the CID office Friday to record her statement, a procedural step amid rumours of personal strains in their marriage. Gupta stressed the probe's ongoing nature, declining to disclose findings to preserve integrity.

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The investigation unfolds against a backdrop of public mourning, with fans and artists holding vigils in Guwahati and Dibrugarh. Garg's death has reignited calls for better safety measures for Indian travellers abroad and mental health support in the entertainment industry, where he was vocal about depression. Singapore Police's probe will culminate in a report to the State Coroner, potentially influencing the SIT's charge sheet under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). With deadlines looming, the collaboration exemplifies India-Singapore ties in cross-border justice, offering closure to a cultural loss that has united Assam in sorrow.

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