Singapore Court Reveals New Details in Zubeen Garg's Tragic Death
A coroner's court in Singapore presented fresh evidence on Wednesday regarding the death of renowned Indian singer and songwriter Zubeen Garg. The court learned that Garg was severely intoxicated and drowned after refusing to wear a life jacket during a yacht party near Lazarus Island last September.
The Fatal Day: A Yacht Party Turns Tragic
Zubeen Garg, aged 52, joined approximately twenty friends and colleagues on a yacht named Crazy Monkey on September 19, 2025. The group enjoyed snacks, drinks, and alcohol on board. This outing occurred just one day before Garg was scheduled to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore.
The chief investigating officer informed the court that many witnesses observed Garg consuming alcohol throughout the event. One witness specifically noted he drank several cups of liquor, gin, whisky, and sips of Guinness Stout.
A Sequence of Critical Decisions in the Water
According to the officer's detailed account, Garg initially entered the water wearing a life jacket during his first swim. However, he later removed it and returned to the yacht, where he mentioned feeling tired.
When Garg decided to swim again, a second, smaller life jacket was offered to him. He declined this safety equipment. The singer then entered the water alone without any life jacket and began swimming toward Lazarus Island.
Multiple witnesses reported seeing Garg attempt to swim back to the yacht. Tragically, he went limp and started floating face down in the water.
Severe Intoxication and Medical History
The court heard that a toxicology report showed Garg's blood alcohol concentration reached 333 milligrams per 100 milliliters. This level indicates severe intoxication, which would have significantly impaired his coordination, judgment, and reflexes.
Garg had a known medical history of hypertension and epilepsy. His most recent epileptic episode occurred in 2024. Tests confirmed the presence of his regular hypertension and epilepsy medications in his system, with no other drugs detected.
However, it remains uncertain whether he had taken his epilepsy medication on the day of the incident. Eyewitness accounts provided insufficient information to confirm this detail.
Rescue Attempts and Autopsy Findings
The yacht captain testified that he saw two of Garg's friends assisting him aboard because he could not walk properly. The captain stated he gave two safety briefings and explicitly warned a friend that Garg, being drunk, needed a life jacket if he re-entered the water.
When the captain noticed Garg face down, he shouted to friends and swam to him. Upon turning Garg's head, he observed a large amount of foam coming from the singer's mouth and nose, accompanied by a terrible smell.
An autopsy confirmed drowning as the cause of death. Some injuries were present on the body, but these were determined to have occurred during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rescue attempts. The forensic pathologist noted no signs, such as a bitten tongue, to indicate Garg experienced a seizure before drowning.
Court Proceedings and Witness Testimonies
Singapore police do not suspect any foul play in Garg's death. A total of thirty-five witnesses are scheduled to give evidence during the inquiry. This group includes individuals present on the yacht, the boat captain, police officers, and paramedics.
Witness statements provided to the court stated that Garg exhibited no suicidal tendencies. The evidence indicated he was not pushed into the water but had jumped in himself for a swim.
The captain also mentioned in his testimony that several passengers had been consuming alcohol even before boarding the yacht. He confirmed that most passengers, including Garg, had been drinking shots.
One witness, whose name was not disclosed, commented on Garg's irregular sleeping patterns, adding another personal detail to the proceedings.
