Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court has directed the immediate arrest of coal mine owners and operators following a deadly dynamite explosion at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills that claimed the lives of 18 workers.
Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports, the division bench comprising Justices W. Diengdoh and H.S. Thangkhiew also ordered the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police of East Jaintia Hills to appear before the court on February 9 after taking action against those involved in the illegal mining operations.
“This Court this evening itself has come to learn from various electronic media reports that there has been a mining tragedy again in Thangsko, East Jaintia Hills, wherein it is reported that there has been an explosion in three illegal coal mines resulting in loss of life and injuries to several persons,” the bench observed.
Expressing concern, the court said it was “not understood as to how illegal coal mining is continuing in this area inspite of the reported loss of life of one person in an incident that occurred on 14-01-2026.”
According to officials, the bodies of 18 coal mine workers have been recovered, while one injured person is undergoing treatment.
The incident occurred on the morning of February 5 at an illegal coal mine at Mynsyngat in the Thangsko area under Umpleng Police Outpost.
Senior police officers rushed to the site after receiving information about the explosion.
ALSO READ: PM announces ex-gratia for East Jaintia Hills blast victims; death toll at 18
Rescue operations were immediately launched, involving teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Special Rescue Team (SRT).
Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said 18 bodies were recovered during the operation, while one injured person was rescued and initially taken to Sutnga Community Health Centre before being referred to a higher medical facility.
He said a suo motu FIR has been registered at Khliehriat Police Station (Case No. 14/2026) under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act and the Explosives Substances Act, and that investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, activist Agnes Kharshiing has alleged that illegal dynamite blasting had occurred earlier on December 23, 2025, at Thangsko under Elaka Sutnga, East Jaintia Hills, in which Ashok Tamang (34) later succumbed to his injuries on January 1, 2026, at Shillong Civil Hospital, while several others were injured.
She alleged that despite the seriousness of the incident, police had denied its occurrence to protect illegal coal mining operations, indicating alleged collusion between authorities, coal mafias, politicians and bureaucrats.
Kharshiing has sought a comprehensive investigation into illegal coal mining in Thangsko and registration of criminal cases against all those involved in the use of life-threatening dynamite explosions.
Police have appealed to the public to share any information related to others involved in the illegal activity, assuring confidentiality and suitable rewards.
