An artist makes a graffiti of singer Zubeen Garg, who died while scuba diving in Singapore, on a flyover to pay tribute to him, in Guwahati.
Credit: PTI Photo
Guwahati: A ruckus broke out outside the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here on Saturday night as Zubeen Garg's fans, waiting for his mortal remains to arrive in the Assam capital, broke through barricades and started advancing towards the airport building.
Similar scenes also unfolded in front of Garg's flat in the Kahilipara area of the city as hundreds gathered there to mourn their beloved artists, blocking the road leading to the apartment block.
Garg, fondly known as the 'Voice of Assam', died in Singapore on Friday while swimming in the sea without a life jacket. His mortal remains were brought to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi around midnight.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received the singer's body at the airport and paid his tribute. He was accompanied by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and senior Assam government officials posted in the national capital.
The body is being brought to Guwahati by a special aircraft with Margherita accompanying it.
Police had to resort to baton-charge to control the situation at the airport here as hundreds of people broke through at least two barricades before being stopped by security forces past midnight, an official said. A section of the crowd reportedly threw water bottles at the security forces and also tried to damage a couple of police vehicles.
Police action and repeated appeals by a section of fans to remain calm helped calm the situation.
A different scene was seen at the road leading to the airport as many fans sang Garg's popular numbers, with some strumming their guitars while waiting to welcome their favourite star back home one last time.
Several artists started arriving at the airport around 2 am, along with political leaders. Zubeen's wife, Garima, is scheduled to receive her husband's body at the airport.
The popular singer's body is expected to reach Guwahati in the early hours of Sunday and then be taken to his residence, where it will be kept for around one-and-a-half hours for his family members, including his 85-year-old ailing father, to pay their last respects.
Later, the body will be shifted to the Arjun Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex for people to pay their homage from 9 am to 7 pm.
Details of the last rites are yet to be finalised, with the state government set to consult the singer's family and different organisations. The Assam Cabinet will meet on Sunday evening to decide on the cremation venue.