Unidentified Body Discovered in Abandoned Coal Mine in Meghalaya
Body Recovered from Water-Filled Coal Mine
Unidentified body found floating in an abandoned water-filled coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills (Photo: AT)
Shillong, May 10: Authorities in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district have retrieved the body of an unidentified individual from a coal mine shaft filled with water.
The discovery was made at Moolait Bri Sumer village after local residents notified the police about a corpse seen floating in the mine.
Rescue teams, along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), conducted the recovery operation.
Pankaj Kumar Rasgania, the Superintendent of Police for East Jaintia Hills, noted that the operation faced difficulties due to the depth and waterlogged conditions of the abandoned mine.
“The body appears to have been there for several days, and we are still investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, and more information will be available following the investigation,” Rasgania stated.
Authorities are working to identify the deceased and have initiated an inquiry to understand how the individual ended up in the mine shaft.
Rasgania dismissed the possibility of ongoing illegal coal mining at the site, clarifying that the mine and its surrounding areas have been abandoned for a long time.
“This coal mine shaft was filled with water, and there was no illegal mining activity occurring there,” he added.
This incident occurs amidst increased scrutiny regarding illegal coal mining in East Jaintia Hills, which has seen several deadly incidents in recent months, despite ongoing court interventions and monitoring efforts.
In February, a tragic explosion at an alleged illegal coal mine in the district resulted in the deaths of at least 30 individuals, leading the Meghalaya High Court to demand a comprehensive report from the state government and warn of accountability for any lapses.