The death toll from the devastating dynamite explosion at an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district climbed to 30 on Monday, underscoring the deadly consequences of unchecked rat-hole mining and the continuing human cost of the February 5 tragedy. The latest fatality was confirmed from Shillong, even as two more miners from Assam’s Cachar district were reported dead while undergoing treatment, pushing the number of victims from Cachar alone to eight and expanding the geographical footprint of the disaster.
East Jaintia Hills Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar confirmed the latest development, saying, “One injured person at NEIGRIHMS succumbed today….” Providing further details, he said, “Raju tamang succumbed on 9/2/26 @ 6:21pm.” Raju Tamang had been battling critical injuries at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) following the powerful blast that ripped through the illegal mine.
Meanwhile, the tragedy continued to unfold in Assam, where two more rat-hole miners from Cachar district died due to injuries sustained in the same explosion. Ramcharan Baisnab of Katigorah and Niman Uddin of Borkhola passed away while undergoing treatment at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH). Early on Monday morning, Niman Uddin, son of Moktasim Ali and a resident of Sarishakuri village in Katigorah, succumbed to his injuries. Hospital authorities later confirmed that Ramcharan Baisnab had died on Sunday night. With these deaths, Cachar district alone has accounted for eight victims linked to the East Jaintia Hills blast.
As rescue and search operations continue at the site of the illegal mine, authorities maintain that efforts are still underway to ensure no one remains trapped. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong about the on-going rescue operation said, “Yes right now operation is still on and right now no recovery of death or something but still of course we have asked the concerned personnel to still see if there is any more trap or anymore dead bodies so that they are on the ground.”
On the law enforcement front, Tynsong indicated that action has begun against those behind the illegal operation. He said, “Right we have already arrested 2, the police are on the job, to find out more details and information from those arrested to make further arrest, who are the miners, and who are involve in this illegality.”
