New Delhi: Iconic Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, popularly remembered outside of the north-eastern state for the chart-busting Hindi number ‘Ya Ali’ from Mahesh Bhatt's film Gangster, passed away in Singapore on Friday (September 19) afternoon. He was 52.

Garg was in Singapore to perform at the three-day North East India Festival that had begun on Friday.

Festival organisers told The Wire that due to his sudden demise, they have decided to cancel the festival, which was to end on September 21.

As per local news reports, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed his demise at around 3:30 pm after he was informed about it by minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita, who is also an MP from the state.

Sarma said his government is in touch with the Indian high commission in Singapore in connection with bringing his mortal remains home.

His wife Garima Garg told a local news channel that he, his manager and his fellow musicians had sailed seawards on a hired yacht together with some Assamese persons living in Singapore during the day. After returning onshore, Garg left on his own to swim, she said.

“They suddenly saw his body becoming stiff and rushed him to the shore, and with the help of the [coast] guards rushed him to the Singapore General Hospital. He was taken to the ICU but he couldn’t be saved. It seems he had a seizure; he had seizures several times. That must have happened and water must have gone in too,” she said.

Garg is said to have been an epilepsy patient.

As per the festival's organisers, his body was to be taken for autopsy tonight before being transported home, most likely tomorrow.

Meanwhile, as the news of his demise began to reach Assam, thousands of people congregated outside his residence in Assam's Kahilipara.

Many of his fans could be seen crying while some were spotted singing his famous songs.

In several towns in Assam, people have come out holding candles in remembrance of 52-year-old Garg, who is considered an icon for the youth and a singer whose popularity is second to that of the legendary Bhupen Hazarika.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that he is “shocked” by Garg's sudden demise and that he shall be remembered for his rich contribution to music.

Lok Sabha leader of opposition and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called his death “a terrible tragedy”.

“His voice defined a generation, and his talent was truly unmatched,” Gandhi said on X.

Both the Assam Congress and BJP in addition to regional parties held condolence meetings in memory of Garg in the state.

An iconic figure of Assam, Garg began singing Assamese songs in the early 1990s and had since recorded over 37,000 songs in as many as 40 languages. He was particularly loved in the state for his generous and frank nature.

Opposed to the Narendra Modi government's decision to ignore the Assam Accord and include the state in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in 2019, Garg had sung the song ‘Politics Nokoriba Bondhu’ (‘Don’t play politics, my friend’), which went on to become the anthem for anti-CAA protests.

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