New details emerged in the death of Indian composer Zubeen Garg, when a coroner’s court in Singapore was told on Wednesday that the singer was “heavily intoxicated” and drowned off Lazarus Island after refusing a life jacket last September.
Garg, 52, was part of a yachting party on September 19, 2025, and died of drowning a day before he was scheduled to perform at the Northeast India Festival in Singapore.
The chief investigating officer told the court at the start of the investigation, as reported by Channel News Asia, that the singer was initially wearing a life jacket but took it off and later refused a second one that was offered to him. At the time, Garg was also heavily intoxicated and many witnesses reportedly saw him trying to swim back to the yacht when he limped and started swimming with his face in the water, an officer told Channel News Asia.
The senior investigating officer mentioned: “When he decided to continue swimming, Gargo was offered a second, smaller life jacket, but he refused to put it on. He entered the water without a life jacket and began swimming towards Lazarus Island alone.”
The court was also informed that the singer had a history of hypertension and epilepsy, with his last epileptic episode occurring in 2024. It remains uncertain whether he was taking his regular epilepsy medication on the day of the incident, as eyewitness accounts were deemed insufficient to confirm this.
According to a Channel report, Singapore police do not suspect any foul play in his death.
A total of 35 witnesses are to testify during the investigation, including those present on the yacht, the ship’s captain, police officers and rescuers.
The chief investigating officer told the court that Garg and about 20 others on the yacht, including friends and colleagues, had snacks, drinks and alcohol on board.
Many witnesses saw Gargo consuming alcohol. According to Channel News Asia, one witness said he had several cups of liquor, gin and whiskey along with swigs of Guinness Stout.
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“Zubeen Garg was not suicidal; he was not pushed into the water”
The investigating officer then gave a detailed step-by-step account of the day’s events, noting that during the first swim Garg had removed his life jacket, later returned to the yacht and was heard to be tired.
The officer then outlined the sequence of events in detail.
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An autopsy revealed that Garg died of drowning. While some injuries were present on his body, the Channel report noted that they occurred during CPR and rescue attempts.
Tests showed the presence of his hypertension and epilepsy drugs in his system, no other drugs were detected.
A toxicology report showed Gargo’s blood-alcohol concentration was 333 milligrams per 100ml, indicating severe intoxication that would have significantly impaired his coordination and reflexes, the court said.
One witness, whose name the Channel has not released, commented on Garg’s irregular sleep.
“The evidence of several witnesses, given through their statements in court, indicated that Garg was not suicidal and that he was not pushed into the water but jumped into the water to swim,” the Channel report said, citing court proceedings.
The forensic pathologist who performed Gargo’s autopsy testified that it was impossible to determine whether he had suffered a seizure, noting the absence of signs such as a bitten tongue.
A yacht captain named Crazy Monkey testified that he saw two of Gargo’s friends holding hands when he boarded because he was unable to walk properly. The captain, who attended the meeting with the assistance of a Mandarin interpreter, also stated in his witness statement that several passengers had already consumed alcohol before boarding the yacht.
He also stated that he gave two safety briefings and that when he saw Gargo entering the water the second time without a life jacket, he said, “I told his friend he was drunk and if he wanted to go in the water he had to wear a life jacket.”
The captain confirmed that most of the passengers, including Gargo, had been drinking shots.
His witness statements also described that when he saw Garg face down in the water, he quickly shouted to his friends before swimming to the singer himself.
When the captain turned Gargo’s head away from the water, he observed a large amount of foam coming from his mouth and nose, accompanied by a “terrible” smell, the Channel said, citing the captain.
