Zubeen Garg was intoxicated, declined life jacket before drowning: Singapore police

Popular Indian singer-songwriter Zubeen Garg was severely intoxicated and had declined to wear a life jacket before drowning off Lazarus Island last September, a Singapore coroner’s court was told on Wednesday.

Garg, 52, was part of a yacht party on September 19, 2025, a day before he was scheduled to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore. According to the chief investigating officer, Garg initially wore a life jacket but later removed it and refused a second one that was offered to him.

Channel News Asia reported that Garg entered the water alone and attempted to swim towards Lazarus Island. Witnesses stated that he soon went limp, floating face-down in the water. He was pulled back onto the yacht, where CPR was administered, but he was pronounced dead later that day.

The court was informed that Garg had a blood alcohol concentration of 333 mg per 100 ml, more than four times Singapore’s legal limit of 80 mg, indicating severe intoxication and impaired coordination. Witnesses said he had consumed liquor, gin, whisky and Guinness stout.

Garg had a medical history of hypertension and epilepsy, with his last known epileptic episode occurring in 2024. While medication for both conditions was found in his blood, investigators could not confirm whether he had taken his epilepsy medication on the day of the incident.

The autopsy revealed injuries on Garg’s body, but these were attributed to rescue and CPR efforts. No foul play is suspected, police said, adding that witnesses confirmed Garg was not pushed and had voluntarily entered the water to swim.

A total of 35 witnesses, including yacht passengers, the boat captain, police officers and paramedics, are expected to testify during the inquiry.

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