Following the death of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg in a scuba diving accident in Singapore on September 19, 2025, a student from Nagaland made remarks perceived as disrespectful towards the singer at Kaziranga University in Assam. The comments sparked outrage among Assamese students, leading to confrontations on the university campus.

In response to the incident, Nagaland Minister Temjen Imna Along condemned the Naga student's remarks and apologized, emphasizing that Zubeen Garg was not only the pride of Assam but also of the entire Northeast and India. Along acknowledged the remarks were inappropriate, especially during a time of mourning. He stated that such statements, whether made knowingly or unknowingly, in anger or jest, are completely wrong and insensitive.

The incident reportedly occurred around 8:30 pm on Saturday when a B.Tech Civil Engineering student, identified as Lisseri S. Sangtam, expressed frustration over transportation issues while returning to his hostel. His comments were recorded and circulated on social media, which further escalated tensions.

Minister Along assured that all Naga students at Kaziranga University were safe and that the student involved had been placed in a secure location in Jorhat. He also confirmed that no further untoward incidents had occurred apart from the initial confrontation. The minister expressed gratitude to Assam ministers and police officials for their swift intervention. He also thanked Assam MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, state ministers, district commissioners of Mokokchung and Jorhat, DGP Nagaland, and police officials for their assistance.

Lisseri S. Sangtam issued a written apology to the people of Assam, expressing regret for his actions and stating that he had no intention of disrespecting the late singer. He offered "sincere apologies to late Zubeen Garg, his fans, and all communities of Assam" and assured that such actions would not be repeated.

Authorities and university officials worked to de-escalate the situation, deploying additional personnel at the campus and hostel premises to prevent further incidents. The Superintendent of Police, Additional SP, ADC, Circle Officer, and OIC Pulibor, Jorhat, intervened to control the unrest.

Minister Along urged students and the public to refrain from emotional outbursts on social media during this sensitive period of mourning. He also appealed to Naga social media users to exercise restraint, refrain from posting adverse comments, and respect the sentiments of mourners.

Zubeen Garg, aged 52, was a cultural icon of Assam and the broader Northeast. A singer, composer, music director, actor, and filmmaker, his career spanned over three decades and included thousands of songs in Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, and other Indian languages. Garg's passing has left a deep void in Assam and beyond. The Assam government has announced a three-day mourning period. His funeral will be held with full state honors on September 23.