Meghalaya

Police have arrested two persons in connection with the deadly explosion at an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, which claimed at least 18 lives. Director General of Police I. Nongrang said another individual has been identified in the case, and further investigation is ongoing.Rescue operations are continuing amid fears that more people may still be trapped inside the mine. Authorities are working under challenging conditions to locate survivors and recover bodies.Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday said the government would take stringent action against those responsible for the incident. He directed state ministers to visit the site, coordinate with officials, and assess the rescue, relief, and law-and-order situation.The Chief Minister also announced ...

The death toll in the coal mine blast in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district has risen to 25 after seven more bodies were recovered during rescue operations on Friday. Officials said the search and recovery work is still continuing as teams try to locate any remaining workers who may still be trapped inside the mine. The incident took place on Thursday at an illegal coal mine located in Thangsku area under Umsngat village. Soon after the blast, local authorities launched a large rescue operation involving several emergency response agencies. Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Special Rescue Team reached the site and began the difficult task of clearing debris and searching the affected area. According to Meghalaya Di...

A division bench of the Meghalaya High Court, comprising Justices HS Thangkhiew and W Diengdoh, has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports concerning the recent blast in the Thangsku area of East Jaintia Hills district. Expressing serious concern, the court noted that illegal coal mining activities appeared to have continued despite a similar fatal incident reported on January 14 earlier this year. Issuing directions for immediate action, the bench ordered the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of East Jaintia Hills to identify and arrest the mine owners and operators allegedly involved in the illegal operations. The court further directed authorities to seize all incriminating materials connected to the mining activities. Additionally, the High Court instructed...

Meghalaya Police arrested two people in connection with a blast at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district that claimed at least 18 lives, Director General of Police I Nongrang said today.She said another individual has been identified for their alleged role in the incident, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the circumstances leading to the explosion.At least 18 people died and eight others were injured in the blast that occurred on Thursday. Rescue operations were continuing amid concerns that more workers could still be trapped inside the mine.

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 inju...

Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has condemned authorities following the death of at least 18 laborers in a suspected explosion at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. He labeled the incident a "horrific explosion" and criticized the "criminal apathy" of the governing bodies, attributing the conditions leading to the tragedy to poverty and exploitation amid regulatory failures. Banerjee accused the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) of facilitating illegal mining through political protection, administrative silence, and systemic corruption, asserting that the "blood of these workers stains the hands" of those in power. He expressed condolences to the grieving families and demanded accountabilities for all responsible parties, including mine operators and off...

In a major step to ease chronic traffic congestion near the Addl. Secretariat, Shillong, Shillong Smart City Limited (SSCL) has announced a Mechanised Multilevel Car Park  on Vivekananda Road, aimed at transforming parking management in one of the city’s busiest corridors. Built at a cost of ₹6.5 crore under the DBOT (Design, Build, Operate, Maintain & Transfer) model, the facility will feature an eight-level automated structure on a compact 630 sq. metre site, accommodating 58 vehicles through a “1 stationary, 7 moving” vertical stacking system. Each slot can support up to 2,300 kg, suitable for SUVs and sedans, with vehicle retrieval in around two minutes. An SSCL official said the project reflects the city’s push toward smart infrastructure. “Given Shillong’s limited road s...

A deadly explosion at an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district has once again brought the issue of unlawful mining in the state into sharp focus, with Union Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy blaming organised criminal networks for continuing such operations despite repeated warnings and restrictions. At least 18 people were killed in the incident, while one person was injured and is undergoing treatment at a civil hospital.The accident occurred on February 5 at an unauthorised mining site in the Mynsyngat area under Thangskai in East Jaintia Hills. Officials said the blast took place inside the illegal mine where workers were engaged in extraction activities. Rescue teams reached the location soon after the incident, and authorities began an investigation to determine t...

The deadly explosion at an alleged illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district has triggered strong responses from the judiciary, the central government and the state administration, as investigations continue into the incident that killed at least 18 workers and injured another. Taking serious note of the tragedy, the Meghalaya High Court on February 5 ordered immediate arrests of those responsible for running the illegal mining operation. A division bench comprising Justices HS Thangkhiew and W Diengdoh took suo motu cognisance of media reports about the blast in the Thangskai area and expressed concern that illegal coal mining was still continuing despite earlier fatal incidents in the region, including one reported in January this year. The court directed the de...

The East Jaintia Hills police on Friday arrested two owners of an illegal coal mine where a powerful explosion claimed 18 lives and left several others injured at Mynsyngat in the Thangsko area, under the jurisdiction of Umpleng Police Outpost. Confirming the arrests, Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said the two accused mine owners were taken into custody earlier in the day and will be produced before the court. He added that details regarding their identities will be shared after they are produce before the court. The SP also informed that rescue and search operations at the blast site have resumed, led jointly by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). He said the operations are being carried out with extreme caution ...