Meghalaya coal mine tragedy: PM Modi condoles loss of lives, announces ex
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed grief over the tragic coal mine explosion in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills district and announced ex-gratia assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the victims and the injured.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.
“Pained by the mishap in East Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given ₹50,000,” the Prime Minister said.
Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar said that an explosion took place inside an illegal mine.
“During the course of the rescue operation, a total of 18 dead bodies have been recovered from the site of the explosion. One injured person was rescued and initially shifted to Sutnga Community Health Centre and later referred to a higher medical centre for further treatment,” the SP said in an official release.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Special Rescue Team (SRT) are continuing rescue and recovery operations at the site.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the state government has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident and assured strict action against those responsible.
“Profoundly saddened by the tragic coal mine incident in East Jaintia Hills. My deepest sympathies are with the families who have lost their loved ones in this unfortunate tragedy,” the Chief Minister said in a post on X.
He added, “The Government of Meghalaya has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into the incident. Accountability will be fixed, and those responsible will face strict legal action. There will be no compromise when it comes to the safety of lives.”
“In this moment of sorrow, the State stands in solidarity with all those affected,” Sangma said.
(With agency inputs)
