Guwahati: The Meghalaya government has announced the formation of a Judicial Inquiry Commission under the Commission of Inquiry Act to investigate the recent mining accident in the Mynsngat–Thangsko area of East Jaintia Hills, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stated.
Authorities confirmed that six victims were from Assam, showing that workers still cross state lines to work in illegal mines.
Many of the victims were daily-wage labourers working under unsafe conditions when the explosion and subsequent cave-in occurred.
The disaster prompted a large-scale rescue and recovery operation, involving police forces, disaster response teams, and local officials. Recovery efforts spanned several days amid challenging terrain and safety hazards, with earlier concerns that additional individuals might still be trapped.
The incident has once again underscored the ongoing issue of illegal rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya, despite a long-standing ban and repeated warnings about the risks of such operations.
Chief Minister Sangma stated that the judicial commission will review the sequence of events leading to the accident, determine any lapses, and assign accountability.
Authorities expect the inquiry’s findings to support prosecutions and guide preventive measures for mining operations.