The Indian singer drowned by accident, according to the Singapore coroner.

 

Zubeen Garg died last September in Singapore, where he had gone to perform at a cultural festival (Image: Hindustan Times by Getty Images)

Indian singer-composer Zubeen Garg's drowning last year in Singapore was accidental and there is no evidence of foul play, a coroner's inquiry has found.

 Garg, 52, died on 19 September after drowning in the sea off Singapore's coast.  He was drunk at the time of the incident, according to the investigation report. In his home state of Assam, the singer's sudden death sparked a wave of mourning and anger among his millions of fans. It also became a politically charged issue, with Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma calling it "plain and simple murder".  He hasn't offered any evidence to support his allegation, but seven people arrested in connection with the case remain in custody.

READ MORE: Fans flock to mourn iconic Indian singer Zubeen Garg

 Four of them, including Garg's manager, have been charged with murder by Assam police. Alleged wrongdoing has been refuted by all seven. On Wednesday, Singapore coroner Adam Nakhoda said that "there was no reason to disagree with the Police Coast Guard's conclusion that there was no foul play" and that Garg's death was "simply due to an unfortunate and tragic accidental drowning".

 The singer had traveled to Singapore to participate in a September 20 event. A day before that, he went out on a yacht with a group of people.  During the outing, he entered the sea twice to swim.

 The coroner's report says that Garg had been drinking, which probably "impaired his judgment." He also took off his life jacket during his first swim and didn't put it on again when he went in the water again.

During his second time in the water, Garg "lost consciousness and his face became submerged in water", the report added.

 Others on the yacht noticed and immediately swam towards him, lifting his head above the water.  The coroner found no evidence of any delay in administering first aid to Garg or taking him to a hospital.

 A forensic report cited in the inquiry says his alcohol levels were more than four times higher than the accepted limit for drink-driving.

 Chief Minister Sarma has not reacted to the report yet.

 Garg was a cultural icon in Assam and sang in more than 40 languages and dialects in a career spanning 33 years.  He was known for his powerful voice, moving easily between romantic ballads and more sombre songs.

Source: BBC