Kharge, Rahul mourn 'Voice of Assam' Zubeen Garg's death in Singapore
New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday expressed shock and grief at the demise of acclaimed singer Zubeen Garg in an accident in Singapore, and said his music defined a generation and carved a special place in the hearts of millions.
A popular singer from Assam best known for his song 'Ya Ali' from the film 'Gangster', Garg died while scuba diving in Singapore on Friday, organisers of a festival in the Southeast Asian country said.
Garg, 52, is survived by his wife.
Kharge expressed shock at the untimely demise of the well-known singer, songwriter, and someone who carved a special place in the hearts of millions of music lovers.
"Celebrated as the 'Voice of Assam', he enchanted people with his voice in several Indian languages and attained the status of a 'cultural icon' at a very young age.
"In this hour of grief, I express my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and countless fans," Kharge said in a post on X.
Gandhi described the passing of Garg as a terrible tragedy.
"His voice defined a generation, and his talent was truly unmatched. He overcame personal tragedies to reshape the landscape of Assamese music. His perseverance and courage have left an enduring mark. He will live on in our hearts and minds forever," Gandhi said.
In a post on X, the Congress said, "We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of phenomenal singer and composer, Zubeen Garg."
"A renowned cultural icon of Assam, his soulful music touched millions and will continue to inspire generations to come. Our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and admirers during this difficult time," the party said.
Garg sustained injuries during scuba diving and was rushed to a hospital, where he died in the intensive care unit while undergoing treatment, according to the organisers.
He had gone to Singapore to participate in the three-day Northeast Festival scheduled to begin on Friday.
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Blast at railway track in Patiala was attempted detonation, killed operator: Punjab Police
Chandigarh (PTI): A blast that took place at a railway track near the Shambhu area in Punjab's Patiala was an attempted detonation, a senior police officer said on Tuesday.
The person who was trying to carry out the detonation on Monday has died, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said.
The blast took place near the Shambhu-Ambala rail track. Police earlier said that an unidentified body, which was blown into pieces, was recovered from the spot.
Initially, it was considered a low-intensity blast. However, investigation has revealed that it was an attempted detonation.
The explosion occurred at around 10 pm at the rail track dedicated for freight trains, police said.
The explosion also caused some damage to the track.
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"Late night, we had received information about a low intensity explosion at a railway track near Shambhu-Haryana border. Immediately, I, along with the deputy inspector general of police and other senior officials, rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
"We found that it was not a low intensity explosion but an attempted detonation," the SSP said.
During the attempt, the person who was trying to carry out the detonation died, and his body has been recovered, he said.
Police said they have recovered a SIM card from the spot.
"After getting whatever scientific evidence including a SIM card from the spot, police have launched technical investigation," Sharma said.
"We expect that we will soon unravel the whole conspiracy," he said.
He further said the Government Railway Police, the Railway Protection Force and other agencies are involved in investigation.
Earlier in January, a blast on a dedicated freight corridor railway track in the Fatehgarh Sahib district's Sirhind had damaged the engine of a train and left a loco pilot injured.
