At least 10 people were killed and one seriously injured in a massive dynamite explosion at an illegal coal mine in a remote area of Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district.
Shillong: At least 10 people were killed and one seriously injured in a massive dynamite explosion at an illegal coal mine in a remote area of Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday. Authorities fear that more miners may be trapped under the debris, raising concerns that the death toll could rise.
Upon receiving information about the explosion, bomb disposal squads, forensic experts, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams, and fire services personnel rushed to the Mynsangt Thangskai area to assess the situation. East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar told UNI that it was a dynamite explosion. He said that four bodies have been recovered from the mine so far, while one injured person with burn injuries has been referred to Shillong for treatment.
According to preliminary reports, illegal mining was being carried out on a hill. The hill collapsed due to the explosion, trapping several miners working there. Earlier, on December 23, 2025, an explosion had also occurred in Thangskai village, killing two miners.
It is noteworthy that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned dangerous 'rat-hole' coal mining in Meghalaya in April 2014 due to its illegal and unscientific nature. Justice (retired) Brojendra Prasad Katakey, appointed by the Meghalaya High Court to monitor coal-related matters, had stated that despite the government's assurances to curb such illegal activities, illegal coal mining and transportation continue in the state. However, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had claimed at the time that the district administration was vigilant and more than 1,000 cases related to illegal mining had been registered.
Copyright © 2026 Top Indian News
