Guwahati, Sept. 20 -- Popular Assamese singer Zubeen Garg, best known nationwide for his 2006 hit Ya Ali, passed away in Singapore on Friday at the age of 52.

The singer had travelled to the island nation to participate in the North East India Festival, but reports on how the incident occurred remain conflicting.

Festival organisers initially stated that Garg died while scuba diving after experiencing breathing difficulties.

However, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma later said India's High Commissioner to Singapore, Shilpak Ambule, informed him that Garg drowned while swimming without a life jacket despite warnings from lifeguards.

Other organisers claimed the singer was on a yacht trip with members of the local Assamese commu...