Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 5 reviewed the situation following the deadly explosion at a suspected illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district and spoke with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, assuring full support from the Centre as rescue and recovery operations continue.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives, Shah said in a post on X that one team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had already reached the accident site, while two more teams were on their way. “Pained by the loss of lives in the tragic accident in Meghalaya. One NDRF team has reached, and two more teams are on the way,” he wrote.
The explosion, which occurred around 11 am in the Mynsyngat–Thangsko (Thangskai) area, claimed at least 18 lives. One person sustained burn injuries and has been shifted to a higher medical centre for treatment. The site is located about 25 kilometres from the district headquarters and is accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles, posing significant challenges to rescue operations.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Centre’s swift response. In a post on X, the Chief Minister’s Office said the ex-gratia assistance announced from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would provide essential relief to the bereaved families and the injured during this time of profound sorrow.
The Prime Minister announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed and ₹50,000 for the injured. Separately, the Meghalaya government has declared an ex-gratia of ₹3 lakh for the families of the deceased.
Addressing the media, Sangma confirmed that the blast occurred at an illegal mine and warned of strict action against those responsible. “Whoever is responsible for this incident will face very strict action. We will not let go of anybody who is involved in this,” he said, adding that illegal mining “cannot be tolerated anymore,” particularly as the state moves towards scientific mining practices.
Police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and the Explosives Substances Act. Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar confirmed that a total of 18 bodies had been recovered from the site during the rescue operation.
The Meghalaya government has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident. “Accountability will be fixed, and those responsible will face strict legal action. There will be no compromise when it comes to the safety of lives,” Sangma said, as NDRF, SDRF, and other special rescue teams continue operations at the remote location.