Singaore Police Shares Shocking Deets About Zubeen Garg's Demise; Says He Was ‘Severely Intoxicated’

Fresh court evidence from Singapore says singer Zubeen Garg was "severely intoxicated" and had rejected a life vest before drowning during a yacht trip on 19 September 2025. The details surfaced during a coroner’s inquiry, which is looking into how the Assam musician died while visiting Singapore for a cultural event. Assistant Superintendent of Police David Lim from the Police Coast Guard gave the first testimony. According to Lim, Garg drank alcohol before entering the sea from the yacht. Friends in the water and on board tried to guide Garg back, but witnesses saw Garg become still in the water and lose responsiveness.

Zubeen Garg death: Singapore inquiry hears police and witness details

Court records showed that Garg had been advised to put on a life vest before jumping in. Police said Garg refused the safety gear, even after warnings. Investigators also told the court that people present did not see any suicidal behaviour and that Garg was not under any pressure or threat when entering the water.

The hearing revealed autopsy findings that measured 333 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood in Garg’s system. Police told the court that such a high level would weaken balance and movement. This level was compared with legal drink-driving limits in Singapore and India to highlight how impaired Garg may have been.

For context, Singapore’s legal limit for drivers is 80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. In India, the Motor Vehicles Act sets a lower legal limit of 30 mg per 100 ml. These comparisons were used by investigators to explain how alcohol could have reduced Garg’s ability to swim or react in the water.

Location	Legal limit (mg alcohol per 100 ml blood)
Singapore	80
India	30
Zubeen Garg (autopsy)	333

Zubeen Garg death: festival visit, yacht outing and hospitalisation

Garg travelled to Singapore as a cultural brand ambassador for the North East India Festival. Before the festival started, Garg joined a yacht outing, which local reports say was organised by members of the Assam Association Singapore. Garg lost consciousness while swimming, was rescued and then taken to Singapore General Hospital, where doctors declared Garg dead.

Authorities in Singapore officially recorded the cause of death as drowning. The ongoing inquiry is a fact-finding process under Singapore law. Its role is to clarify the sequence of events and circumstances around the death, rather than decide criminal guilt. Thirty-five witnesses are expected to appear during the hearings, with Lim being the first.

Zubeen Garg death: parallel criminal case in Assam and public reaction

While the Singapore inquiry continues, a separate legal process is under way in India. Assam Police have filed a case in a Guwahati court against five people. Four face murder charges and one faces a charge of culpable homicide in connection with Garg’s death, though this criminal case is proceeding independently from the Singapore proceedings.

Investigators in both countries are dealing with different legal questions, but the death has had a strong impact in Assam. Garg’s passing in 2025 led to widespread mourning and demands for clarity from fans and cultural groups. More testimony in the Singapore court is expected in the coming days, which may offer further detail on what happened during the yacht outing.