'Association wasn’t aware of Zubeen’s health': Parents of Singapore-based Assamese

Nalbari, Oct 5: As probe into the circumstances that led to the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg continues, the parents of Wazid Ahmed, an expatriate Assamese engineer based in Singapore, who was reportedly present on the yacht with the late artiste, have appealed the members of Singapore Assam Association to return to Assam and cooperate with the CID probe.

Speaking to the press at their residence in Nalbari on Sunday, Wazid’s father Najeeb Ahmed said, “We want the truth to come out. The people who were with Zubeen should come forward and give their statements to the CID in Assam. My son is in regular contact with us, and we too want justice for Zubeen Garg.”

Wazid, an electrical engineer and director of a Singapore-based company, is also a member of the Singapore Assam Association.

His mother, Sultana Reziya, a teacher by profession, said that her son and other members of the Association often meet Assamese visitors and artistes who travel to Singapore.

Recounting the details her son shared, Reziya said, “When Zubeen expressed his wish to go out on the water, they arranged a yacht. It’s common for members of the Association to meet Assamese personalities visiting Singapore. But the manager and others who accompanied him should not have allowed Zubeen to get into the water. The members of Singapore Assam Association weren’t fully aware of his health condition.”

She added that the family is deeply concerned about the events and fully supports the investigation.

“The members there are angry that the management allowed him to go into the water. But our son and others will cooperate fully with the CID. They are ready to come to Assam for the investigation,” she affirmed.

The response Wazid's parents comes a day after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, addressing the ongoing probe, emphasised the importance of cooperation from those based in Singapore.

“The investigation cannot be complete without statements from the people who were present when the incident occurred. Since this happened in a foreign land, it’s not as easy to bring them in as it would be in India,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that the Assam government expects the Singapore-based Assamese witnesses, particularly members of the Singapore Assam Association, to appear before the CID by October 6, which is the final deadline set by authorities.

“If they fail to come by October 6, we might again face a deadlock. Assamese people should also urge the Association in Singapore to cooperate fully with the investigation,” Sarma said.

With just a day to go for the deadline to end, attention now turns to whether the key witnesses from Singapore, including Wazid Ahmed, will return to Assam to record their statements.