At least 18 miners have died and one was critically injured after an explosion ripped through an illegally operated coal mine in India’s northeastern state of Meghalaya, police said.
The blast occurred around 11:00 local time on Thursday in the East Jaintia Hills district, about 72 kilometers from the state capital Shillong. Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities fearing more workers may still be trapped underground.
Police said the accident was linked to rat-hole mining — a dangerous practice involving narrow tunnels where miners crouch to extract coal, often using dynamite to break through rock. The explosion is suspected to have been caused by explosives used inside the mine.
Despite a long-standing ban on rat-hole mining, the practice continues in parts of Meghalaya, activists say.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced compensation of 200,000 rupees for each victim’s family and 50,000 rupees for the injured.
Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar confirmed that 18 bodies have been recovered so far, while one survivor with severe burns is being treated in a hospital in Shillong. Authorities have yet to determine how many more miners may be trapped and have not identified the mine’s owners or the victims. A case has been registered against unidentified operators.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma vowed strict legal action, saying accountability would be fixed.
Local residents told reporters that many of the victims were believed to be from the neighboring state of Assam. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said assistance would be provided if this is confirmed.
The tragedy is among the deadliest mining accidents in the state in recent years. In 2018, at least 15 miners were trapped in a flooded rat-hole mine, with only five escaping alive.
Activists continue to warn that illegal coal mining persists despite a ban imposed in 2014 and upheld by India’s Supreme Court, citing weak enforcement, high coal demand, poverty, and alleged political backing as key reasons behind recurring fatal accidents across several Indian states.
