A total of 14 persons have been arrested and 62 cases have been registered against illegal extraction of coal in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, following the tragic coal mine explosion.
As per official reports, five FIRs have been registered related to illegal transportation of coal and two related to seizures of suspected explosives to be used for illegal coal mining.
It may be mentioned that, the East Jaintia Hills district police have launched an intensive drive against illegal mining in the coal-rich region since the mine blast at Mynsngat-Thangsko that claimed over 30 lives.
The police have submitted records of FIRs registered and arrests made up to February 14 to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
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Out of the total 14 people arrested, seven are related to Mynsngat-Thangsko blast. They have been identified as Forme Chyrmang, Shameki War, Process Phawa, Tensing Suchiang, Yoomiki Syih, Ernest Swer, Rangsing Syiemlieh alias Mithun.
The arrested accused in the other three cases have been identified as Sahanaj Uddin and Abansan Syrti (Umthe case), Narayan Majumdar, Salim Uddin Choudhury and Safrul Islam Choudhury (Umpleng case) and Rishna Sutnga and Skhemborlang Kshiar (in Umkiang case).
On the other hand, authorities have seized 15,224.72 metric tonnes of assessed coal, with more material awaiting evaluation by the Department of Mineral Resources. 25.5 kg of gelatin explosives, 74 detonators and five vehicles have been seized, reports said.
