East Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner Manish Kumar and Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar on Monday appeared before the Meghalaya High Court in connection with the deadly dynamite blast linked to illegal coal mining at the Mynsngat–Thangsko area, as the court took strong exception to the continuation of unlawful activities, and the recent dynamite blast that claimed 27 lives. Taking suo motu cognisance of the coal mine disaster, the High Court pulled up the district administration and police authorities and asked for their personal appearance.
Speaking to mediapersons after the court proceedings, East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar said, “In connection with the dynamite blast at illegal Coal mining in which 27 labourers were, High court has taken the cognizance and the Deputy Commissioner Manish Kumar and Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar of East Jaintia Hills were called for personal appearance and in that connection we have come to the High court, since the matter is subjudice at this stage we cannot say much, we are doing our bid that is required and the search and rescue operation is still ongoing. The investigation in the case is still ongoing we have made arrest and it is going in the right direction and I am sure we will bring it to the logical conclusion. Search and rescue operation is still ongoing, yesterday it was there and we couldn’t recover any body yesterday. Today also rescue operation is still on. It depends on the teams that are deployed there NDRF, SDRF, Special Rescue Team that are there about how long this rescue operation will continue and at the same time we will take the considered decision subsequently.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has informed that the state government has decided to constitute a Judicial Inquiry Commission under the Commission of Inquiry Act to probe the recent tragic mining incident at the Mynsngat–Thangsko area in East Jaintia Hills, even as court-monitored investigation and multi-agency rescue operations continue at the site.
