Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced the form of a judicial inquiry commission to investigate the blast at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in East Jaintia Hills that killed 27 miners and critically injured nine others. The commission examines the sequence of events and identifies lapses, with its findings expected to guide future policy to prevent similar tragedies. The announcement came as the High Court of Meghalaya summoned district officials to report on steps taken against illegal coal trade.
The miners, from Assam, Meghalaya, and Nepal, died after a dynamite blast inside narrow, hazardous tunnels branching from a deep pit. Meanwhile, a High Court–appointed panel led by B. P. Katakey reported that over 37,000 tonnes of coal were missing from surveyed dumps, warning that inaction was emboldening illegal mining networks. Despite a 2014 ban by the National Green Tribunal, rat-hole mining continues extensively. Social activist Cherian Momin has demanded an Enforcement Directorate probe, calling the illegal coal trade a serious economic offence rather than a mere law-and-order issue.
