At Least 18 Dead in Illegal Coal Mine Blast in Meghalaya

At least 18 people were killed and eight others injured when an explosion ripped through an unauthorized “rat-hole” coal mine in the Thangsko area of Mynsngat village in Meghalaya at around 10 a.m. on February 5, with several more feared trapped underground.

Rat-hole coal mining, once widely practised in India’s northeastern states, was banned in 2014 due to frequent fatal accidents and severe environmental damage. Despite the ban, illegal mining has persisted in parts of Meghalaya.

Local elders in Mynsngat told PTI that more than 30–40 people were likely working inside the mine when the blast occurred. Residents said many of the miners were daily-wage labourers who had travelled from different parts of Meghalaya, as well as neighbouring Assam and Nepal.

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said “The Government of Meghalaya has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident. Accountability will be fixed, and those responsible will face strict legal action,” in a post on X.

The Meghalaya High Court on Thursday directed authorities to arrest those responsible for illegal mining activities and summoned the district Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner to appear before it on February 9.

Anti-mining activist Agnes Kharshiing blamed the state government and district authorities for the tragedy, alleging that illegal coal mining had continued despite repeated warnings and previous accidents. Calling the incident “a homicide,” she said it exposed efforts to conceal the continued prevalence of illegal mining.

The CM Conrad K. Sangma announced an ex gratia payment of ₹3 lakh from the state government for the next of kin of each person who lost their life in the incident. Meanwhile, the Assam Government announced an ex gratia of ₹5 lakh each for the families of three labourers from Assam who were among those killed in the blast.