Zubeen Garg's wife urges people to maintain peace, not to create volatile situation

Guwahati, Sep 30 (PTI) Zubeen Garg's wife Garima Saikia Garg on Tuesday appealed to all not to create a volatile situation or take law into their hands and to maintain peace.

"We do not want any unwarranted situation, but allow the agencies concerned to carry out investigations. We can only urge them to complete the process at the earliest," Garima said while leaving for the Upper Assam town of Jorhat where the singer's 13th day rituals will be performed on Wednesday.

She said that the family has faith in the investigating team, but "if there is no peace, then Zubeen's ideals will be lost as he never wanted an atmosphere of conflict and confrontation".

"We will have to cooperate with the team and place our demands in a peaceful manner. I appeal to the people not to create any volatile situation to disturb peace, which Zubeen never wanted in his life," she appealed with folded hands.

The police had resorted to baton charges on unruly fans on the night of September 20 when his body was scheduled to arrive from Singapore and again later when the CID's SIT team had gone to raid the residence of the singer's manager on September 25.

Garima had said on Monday that the singer's family wants to know what had happened in his last moments that led to his death, and that a proper inquiry should be conducted.

"We want to know what happened to him, why it happened and how this negligence could be allowed to happen? We want answers," Garima told reporters after the conduct of the 11th day rituals for the singer here.

She said all those who were there with him on the yacht (before his death) and at the event "must answer this".

She said on Tuesday that all the rituals associated with his death should pass off smoothly and "people should pray for him so that his onward journey to the other world happens peacefully".

Garima, along with members of the family, relatives and close friends, left for Jorhat and on the way, she offered prayers at the cremation grounds at Kamarkuchi near here where his last rites were performed and a memorial would be constructed.

The coffin in which Zubeen's body came from Singapore to Guwahati via New Delhi, along with the urns carrying his ashes, already reached Jorhat on Tuesday and were kept in the district treasury amid tight security.

The 13th day rituals will be organised by the state government at the Jorhat District Sports Stadium.

Zubeen had spent a major part of his childhood and youth in Jorhat and the people of the district wanted that he be cremated there but the family decided that it should be done somewhere in and around Guwahati.

The family later conveyed to the state government that they would organise the 13th day rituals in Jorhat.

The rituals will begin with an all-faith prayer meeting at 8 am followed by 'Shraddhanjali' to the singer, which will begin with people offering floral tributes at a specially created canopy where his portrait and the urn carrying his ashes will be kept, a district official said.

'Nam-Prasanga' (Vaishnav prayers) will be held by members of major 'Namghars' (prayer halls) of the district from 9.30 am, following which Vedic rituals will also be conducted by the members of the family at a separate enclosure constructed for them.

A dedicated separate entry and seating arrangements have been arranged for elderly persons.

Drinking water, toilets, medical teams for emergency treatment and a temporary hospital have been also arranged.

Several sub-committees comprising district officials and members of prominent social organisations have been formed to ensure that the rituals are held smoothly, the official added. PTI DG DG ACD