Shillong: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the dynamite blast at a suspected illegal coal mining site in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.
The explosion occurred on Thursday morning at the Thongsko area of East Jaintia Hills, where at least 18 people were killed.
Several others are still feared to be untraced. It is alleged that labourers were working at an illegal coal mine at the time of the blast.
“Pained by the mishap in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.
Pained by the mishap in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM…
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 5, 2026
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the death toll in the East Jaintia Hills blast had risen to 18, as he briefed the media following a cabinet meeting at the Shillong Secretariat.
Sangma expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his condolence message and the announcement of ex-gratia assistance for the victims’ families.
He said rescue operations were suspended after nightfall but would resume on Friday with the deployment of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
The state government has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.
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Announcing firm action, the chief minister said a comprehensive inquiry had been ordered into the blast. “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 in a post on his X handle.
The incident has once again drawn attention to illegal mining practices in Meghalaya.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned rat-hole coal mining and other unscientific mining methods in the state in 2014, citing environmental damage and serious safety risks, while also restricting the illegal transportation of coal extracted through such practices.
The Supreme Court later upheld the ban, allowing mining only under scientific and regulated procedures with adequate environmental safeguards.
The identification of the victims is yet to be completed. However, Sangma said that the majority of those killed were from outside the state.
