One arrested for death threat to singer Zubeen Garg on social media

Dibrugarh (Assam):  One person was arrested here on Saturday for allegedly giving a death threat to popular Assamese and Bollywood singer Zubeen Garg on the social media.

Tultul Baglari alias Kai Khaplang had allegedly posted the message “will kill Zubeen with a 9mm (pistol) from 10 m today”, along with a photo showing him holding a pistol, on Facebook on Friday, ahead of Zubeen’s event at a Bihu programme in Chowkidingee on Friday night.

Police immediately swung into action and traced the man, said to be around 22-yer-old, to Gorughoria village in Tinsukia district of Assam. He was arrested from Dibrugarh, said officials.

During interrogation, Baglari reportedly claimed that the pistol in the photo was a toy pistol he had bought during the Durga Puja festival last year.

The school dropout also reportedly admitted that the Facebook post was his and the comment was not posted following any instigation from others, though he had claimed in the post that he belonged to the ‘Tribal Sangha’, officials said, adding that a conspiracy angle could not be ruled out.

He also claimed that he had lost the mobile phone, which was used to post the comment on Facebook. Police suspect that he has destroyed it.

The SIM card of the phone, however, was recovered, said the officials.

Baglari told reporters at the police station here that the comment was posted on Facebook “by mistake”. “I ask for Zubeen Garg’s forgiveness for it,” he said.

Asked what prompted him to post a death threat to the singer, Baglari said he did not like some of the on-stage actions of the artiste and his singing of Hindi songs at Bihu programmes as according to him, only Assamese songs should be sung at such events.

Reacting to the development, Zubeen said, “I am not scared of such threats or anyone. I do not take it seriously. The post must have been a naughty trick to get cheap publicity.” “I have security. People are with me and more security is being provided to me,” the singer of ‘Ya Ali’ fame said.

Meanwhile, Zubeen’s security has been strengthened in view of the threat, said the officials. He was stopped midway during his performance at a Bihu function here on April 14. The organisers had walked up to the stage and asked Zubeen to stop singing Hindi songs.

Only songs in Assamese and other ethnic languages of the state should be sung during Bihu celebrations to uphold the Assamese culture and tradition, the organisers had told Zubeen.

Questioning the ban on singing Hindi songs at Rongali Bihu functions, Zubeen said, “Nobody can issue diktats on what songs should be sung as I am an artiste and have no language barrier. “I will sing whatever I like. I have sung 16,000 songs in 25 years.” (PTI)