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3 min readGuwahatiFeb 8, 2026 07:43 AM IST
Search and rescue operation underway at an illegal coal mining site, in East Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya, after at least 18 miners were killed and several feared trapped following an explosion on Friday (Photo: PTI).
The East Jaintia Hills district administration has ordered a crackdown on illegal mining activities in the Thangkso area, where the number of workers killed after an explosion in an illegal rat-hole mine has risen to 27 with the recovery of two more bodies by rescuers Saturday.
As of Saturday, the bodies of 24 miners have been recovered from the rat-hole mine in Thangkso after a dynamite explosion there Thursday. Another three workers succumbed to their injuries while receiving medical treatment, and rescuers continued searches looking for more bodies of workers who might be trapped in the network of low, narrow tunnels at a depth of 100 feet.
It’s still unclear how many workers were inside the mine when the incident occurred.
On Saturday, the East Jaintia Hills district administration issued an order to all magistrates to conduct inspections throughout Thangkso and seize vehicles, machinery and equipment used in illegal mining; and identify and arrest mine owners, operators, financiers, and “all people involved in illegal mining activities”.
In the same order, it also invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prohibit the assembly of more than five people in and around illegal mining sites, citing “serious likelihood of obstruction to law enforcement by certain individuals or groups during operations against illegal mining activities”.
The order refers to the Meghalaya High Court taking cognisance on Thursday.
Justice (Retd) BP Katakey, who has been appointed by the Meghalaya High Court as a one-man committee to monitor illegal coal-mining in the state since 2022 following a suo-motu PIL taken up by the court on the issue, pointed out that widespread illegal mining in Meghalaya, particularly the East Jaintia Hills has been flagged repeatedly but that “no one in the state, except the high court, is taking it very seriously”.
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On Thursday itself, during a hearing on the same PIL, the high court took cognisance of this incident and summoned the district Deputy Commissioner and the SP on February 9 with details of action taken and to “furnish reasons as to why the situation has been allowed to continue.”
The court noted that in the Justice Katakey committee’s report filed on January 17, the committee had flagged that East Jaintia Hills is the district most affected by illegal coal mining, where the activity continues to take place on a large scale.
The committee had also flagged an incident that took place less than a month ago, on January 14 in the same Thangkso area in which a miner died while working in another illegal mine.
Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More
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