Singapore Court to open Coroner’s inquiry into Zubeen Garg’s death on January 14

A Singapore court will open a coroner’s inquiry on January 14, 2026, into the death of popular Indian singer-songwriter Zubeen Garg, who hailed from Assam, according to local media reports.

The inquiry will be conducted at the State Courts as part of a fact-finding process to determine the circumstances surrounding Garg’s death. Singapore police have stated that findings from their investigations will be submitted to the State Coroner ahead of the hearing.

Garg died on September 19, 2025, a day before he was scheduled to perform at a cultural festival in Singapore. Police said he had gone swimming in the sea off Singapore’s island coast when he encountered difficulty. He reportedly received a call for assistance at St John’s Island and was later found unconscious.

He was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared dead.

Singapore police said earlier that investigations into Garg’s death were ongoing and that a coroner’s inquiry had been scheduled for January and February 2026. Based on preliminary findings, the police have stated that there is no suspicion of foul play.

Under Singapore law, a coroner’s inquiry is a judicial, fact-finding proceeding led by a coroner to establish how, when, and where a death occurred. The Coroners Act does not empower the court to assign criminal liability. Such inquiries are generally held in open court unless there is sufficient reason to conduct them privately, and multiple days may be allocated depending on the complexity of the case.

At the conclusion of the inquiry, the coroner will deliver findings on the circumstances of the death.

Zubeen Garg, one of Assam’s most influential cultural figures, enjoyed a devoted following across the Northeast and beyond, and his death had sparked widespread shock and mourning in the region.