Six labourers feared trapped inside a rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya

Around six labourers from Assam are suspected to be trapped in a rat-hole coal mine in East Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya.

Meghalaya police in a statement stated based on information received from Superintendent of Police, Silchar about six mine workers being trapped in a coal mine in East Jaintia Hills on the night of 30th May 2021 the district police were able to identify the probable location of incident at 6 AM on 31 May 2021. The delay in identification of probable site was due to inclement weather, poor night light condition and non-availability of any eye witness account.

Higher authorities were appraised about the probable incident and in collaboration with District Administration search and rescue operation was launched. State Disaster Response Team also reached the probable location of incident thereafter.


While the search and rescue operation was on under the supervision of Inspector General of Police (Law & Order), six persons came forward with eye witness account of the events that transpired on the 30th of May.

Jagpal Singh Dhanoa, Superintendent of Police, East Jaintia Hills District said that as per eye witness(es) account due to the sudden explosion of dynamite, (5(five) persons got trapped in the sudden rush of water into the mine. Within no time the mine was inundated.The main culprit as per eye witnesses is Sordar by name of Nizam Ali who did nothing to rescue the trapped labourers, Rather Nizam Ali threatened the survivors with dire consequences and chased them away from the mining site.

Dhanoa added, “Based on their account FIR is registered at Khliehriat Police Station vide Khliehriat PS Case No. 35(05)2021 u/s 188/269/270/304A IPC R/w section 21(5) MMDR Act R/W section 51(b) Disaster Management Act. The survivors are being looked after by police to ensure their security. Further, investigation is on and no stone is being left unturned to arrest the Sordar of the mine.one person has been detained for questioning. Unfortunately, he has tested positive for Covid-19 and is being kept under guard at Isolation Centre at Khliehriat.

Those missing include Abdul Karim from Boko, Abdul Kalam from Barpeta, both from Assam, Shyamcharan Debbarma from Tripura. Two persons are details are not known

National Green Tribunal (NGT)banned rat-hole mining on April 17, 2014. On December 13 2018, 15 miners got trapped in a rat-hole mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills. Only a few bodies have been recovered.