Meghalaya CM orders judicial probe into East Jaintia Hills coal mine blast

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma informed the Assembly that 33 people lost their lives in the February 5 explosion at an illegal coal mining site in Mynsngat–Thangsko, East Jaintia Hills. Making a suo motu statement, he announced a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the incident and its wider implications.
Sangma said large scale search and rescue operations were launched immediately after the blast, involving district authorities, police, SDRF, NDRF, Fire Services, and medical teams. The operations were formally closed on February 9 after consultations with all agencies. Two additional deaths reported by families were later verified, raising the toll to 33. Preliminary findings suggest the explosion was triggered by explosives used in illegal mining under unstable underground conditions. The Chief Minister said ex gratia relief has begun, with Rs. 24 lakh disbursed to families of eight victims, while compensation for others is in process. A suo motu FIR was registered at Khliehriat Police Station, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the DIG (Eastern Range) is probing the case. Seven arrests have been made so far. To curb illegal mining, enforcement has been intensified with raids, seizures, and deployment of drones. A district task force headed by the Deputy Commissioner is overseeing operations, which include dismantling cranes, seizing vehicles, recovering explosives, and registering FIRs. So far, 62 FIRs have been filed for illegal extraction, five for illegal transportation, and two for explosives related cases. Authorities have seized over 15,224 metric tonnes of coal, dismantled six cranes, and seized six vehicles.
On February 14, the government notified the constitution of a Judicial Enquiry Commission under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952. The commission will be chaired by Justice (Retd.) R. S. Chauhan, former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana High Courts, with former IPS officer Heimonlang Nongpluh and former IAS officer Peter Dkhar as members. It has six months to submit its report.
The commission’s mandate includes probing the circumstances of the blast, fixing responsibility for lapses, examining root causes of illegal mining, recommending reforms, and suggesting rehabilitation measures for affected workers. Sangma assured the House that the government remains committed to ending illegal mining and transitioning towards regulated, scientific mining, with several proposals already approved and others awaiting clearance from the Centre.