Unverified reports from Thangskai village in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills claim that three coal labourers were buried alive due to a mine collapse. Local accounts suggest the victims’ bodies were discreetly removed at night to avoid public attention. The police have received similar reports and dispatched a team to investigate; however, no confirmation of the incident has been obtained from locals.
The district police noted that there have been no missing person reports or death registrations related to this case. Ongoing investigations have revealed no evidence supporting the claims, with searches in nearby forests also yielding no results. Despite a ban on rat-hole coal mining since 2014, illegal and abandoned mines continue to exist in the region, posing significant risks to workers. Authorities caution that without concrete evidence, the allegations regarding the mine collapse remain unverified.