Shillong: Two alleged owners of illegal coal mines linked to the deadly blast in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district, which has claimed 25 lives so far, were on Friday remanded to three days of police custody, Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said.
The duo was produced before a local court in Khliehriat on Friday.
The accused have been identified as Shamehi War (42) of Sutnga Pohwailong village and Forme Chyrmang (36) of Jalaphet Pyrdung village in the district, he added.
Police have also identified a third suspect in the case and a manhunt is underway to apprehend him, the East Jaintia Hills SP said.
“The court has granted three days of police custody for further interrogation,” Kumar said.
The death toll in the coal mine incident that occurred in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district has risen to 25, after seven more bodies were recovered on Friday.
Search operations are continuing at the site, with teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), special rescue team, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) pressed into service. Medical teams and ambulances have also been deployed, officials said.
On the other hand, officials also informed that the Army and the Air Force remain on standby as the district administration and the State Disaster Management Authority continue to monitor the situation closely.
ALSO READ: Meghalaya coal mine blast: 7 more bodies recovered; death toll climbs to 25
A dynamite explosion occurred on Thursday at the mine in the Thangsku area of East Jaintia Hills, prompting the authorities to begin large-scale search and rescue operations involving multiple agencies.
