The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Meghalaya government and the state Director General of Police after media reports said a blast at an alleged illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills killed 18 workers and left several others trapped. The incident reportedly occurred on February 5 in the Thangskai area of the district.
According to news accounts, multiple workers remain trapped underground at unspecified depths following the explosion, and rescue operations are ongoing. The NHRC said it took suo motu cognisance of the matter (acting on its own without a formal complaint) on the basis of these reports.
The commission observed that “if the contents of the reports are accurate, they raise serious concerns about the violation of the victims’ human rights.” It has directed the state authorities to provide a full account of the incident and the response.
Notices have been sent to the Chief Secretary of Meghalaya and the state DGP, with instructions to submit a detailed report to the NHRC within two weeks. The commission has specified that the report should include the current status of rescue operations, details of compensation paid or proposed for the families of the victims, the progress of the police investigation, and measures taken or planned to prevent similar incidents in future.
The NHRC underlined the need for accountability and effective enforcement to ensure such accidents do not recur, signalling scrutiny of both the rescue response and regulatory oversight of mining activity in the area.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/meghalaya/story/nhrc-seeks-report-from-meghalaya-over-illegal-coal-mine-blast-deaths-1344934-2026-02-11?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-02-11 23:40:00
