Shillong

One labourer was injured and several others were feared trapped after an explosion occurred at a suspected illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday, police said.

The incident took place in the Thangsku area, Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said.

“Our team has confirmed that the explosion occurred this morning. However, the exact number of labourers inside the mine at the time is yet to be ascertained,” Kumar told PTI.

The injured person was initially taken to a primary health centre and later referred to Shillong for advanced medical treatment, he said.

Police have sought assistance from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to carry out rescue operations at the site. “The SDRF team is yet to arrive,” the SP added.

The blast is suspected to have occurred during coal extraction activities at the site, which is believed to be operating illegally.

When asked whether the mine was illegal, Kumar said, “Yes, it appears to be so.”

He said the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be determined and an inquiry has been ordered.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a ban on rat-hole coal mining and other unscientific mining practices in Meghalaya in 2014, citing environmental degradation and safety concerns, and also restricted the illegal transportation of coal extracted through such methods.

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Rat-hole mining involves digging narrow tunnels, typically 3–4 feet high, allowing workers to crawl inside to extract coal. The Supreme Court later upheld the ban, permitting mining only through scientific and regulated methods with environmental safeguards in place.