‘Zubeen’s journey to cremation site to begin at 9:30 am today after 2nd autopsy’

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that singer Zubeen Garg’s journey to the cremation ground will begin from 9:30 am, instead of the earlier scheduled 7:30 am, on Tuesday after a second postmortem examination is conducted on his body.

The first autopsy was conducted in Singapore where Garg died by drowning on September 19. His last rites will be performed on the outskirts of Guwahati on Tuesday with full state honours.

The second postmortem will be conducted on Tuesday morning at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) following demands from certain sections of the people, Sarma said in a press conference here on Monday.

The gates of the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports complex, where his mortal remains have been kept for people to pay tributes since Sunday, will be closed at midnight, the CM said.

Those who enter the complex before midnight will be allowed to pay their tributes to the singer. The body of the singer will be taken to the GMCH for the postmortem and brought back to the sports complex from where his final journey will begin for the last rites at the cremation site in Kamarkuch NC village, he said.

Sarma who reviewed the preparations at the cremation ground earlier in the day had said that his last journey will begin at 7:30 am.

All schools, colleges and universities across the state will remain closed on Tuesday while all government offices in Kamrup (Metro) district will be closed.

His family has provided a list of 85 family members, close relatives and associates who will be present at the cremation and buses have been arranged for them to travel to the site, around 20 km from the sports complex, but no other vehicle will be allowed in the procession, the CM said.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju will represent the central government while Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal along with representatives of various state govts will be present.

Besides the CM, Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya, Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, President and General secretary of the Assam Sahitya Sabha, two representatives of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and a representative of the film fraternity will also be present on the occasion with designated seats, Sarma said.

All others, including ministers and MLAs, will come as common people, he said.

Assam Police personnel will be the pall bearers from the national highway, adjacent to Kamarkuchi, to the site, and they give a gun salute to the deceased singer, Sarma said.