Arrests in NEIF Chief Organizer and Manager Case Raise Questions on Singer's Death

NEIF chief Shyamkanu Mahanta and Zubeen Garg's manager Siddhartha Sharma were arrested concerning the singer's death in Singapore. They were detained upon arrival in India. An SIT in Assam is investigating the incident, which occurred on September 19. Notices were also served to others involved.

The chief organizer of the North East India Festival (NEIF), Shyamkanu Mahanta, along with Siddhartha Sharma, manager to the late singer Zubeen Garg, now face arrest in a dramatic turn of events related to the artist's untimely demise in Singapore.

Mahanta was apprehended at Indira Gandhi International Airport upon arrival from Singapore, while Sharma was detained in Gurugram. They were swiftly brought to Assam's capital, Guwahati, early Wednesday morning, sources told PTI. The arrests are part of an ongoing probe by a 10-member SIT, led by Special DGP M P Gupta.

The tragic incident, which involved Garg's drowning in Singapore's waters on September 19, led the Assam government to take rigorous actions. Notices for questioning were sent to key individuals, including festival attendees, and a lookout notice was issued through Interpol by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

(With inputs from agencies.)