Guwahati: Tension gripped Baksa on Thursday after violence broke out outside the district jail following the arrival of five accused in the Zubeen Garg death case. The accused include event organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddharth Sharma, suspended APS officer Sandipan Garg, and two PSOs — Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma addressed the incident, saying the accused could have been lodged in Dhubri or Diphu jails, both nearly five hours away, but Baksa was chosen due to its comparatively stable law-and-order situation and cooperative local community.

He announced that the Justice Soumitra Saikia Commission will investigate the lapses that led to the violence.

In a significant move, the Chief Minister also declared the formation of a committee to oversee the design and construction of Zubeen Garg’s memorial samadhi, which will include the singer’s wife Garima Saikia Garg, along with close family members and friends.

To ensure speedy justice, CM Sarma said a fast-track court will be established for the case and a special public prosecutor will be appointed, following the recommendation of Assam’s Advocate General. He stressed that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) must file its chargesheet within the stipulated time.

Thanking the Singapore government for approving the upcoming visit of the Assam Police team on October 21, CM Sarma revealed that the clearance came after his intervention with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, who had raised India’s concerns over the initial denial.

Meanwhile, the state government temporarily suspended telecom services in Baksa after protests outside the jail turned violent. Demonstrators demanding justice for the late singer set vehicles on fire and pelted stones at police and jail vehicles, prompting security forces to use mild lathi charge and tear gas to bring the situation under control.

Zubeen Garg, one of Assam’s most beloved singers, died in Singapore on September 19 under suspicious circumstances while allegedly swimming, just a day before he was to perform at the Northeast India Festival.

The government’s latest steps aim to ensure a transparent investigation, deliver swift justice, and honor the legacy of the late music icon whose untimely death has left Assam in grief and anger.