Katakey Seeks Police Report by Friday on Alleged East Jaintia Hills Blast Deaths

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: Amid mounting confusion, conflicting claims and growing public concern over an alleged fatal dynamite blast in East Jaintia Hills (EJH), Justice (retd) B. P. Katakey has directed Police Headquarters to submit a detailed report by Friday on allegations that two persons died in an explosion reported to have occurred on December 23 at Thangsko (Mynsngat) village.

Justice (retd) Katakey, who heads the one-man committee appointed by the Meghalaya High Court to probe illegal coal mining and transportation in the state, said:

"As soon as this information was brought to my notice, I immediately asked Police Headquarters to enquire and submit a report to me by Friday. I am expecting the report by January 8 or 9. Somebody has informed me that the blast occurred in a coal mine itself; that is the allegation.

"I do not know whether it is stone mining or illegal coal mining, because if it is stone mining, that will be outside my jurisdiction. That is what I have asked the police department to enquire into. I am a little confused. I have seen two or three photographs, but I have not seen any coal anywhere," he said.

The reported blast has remained shrouded in uncertainty after district police officially denied any such incident, even as delayed inputs from Thangsko (Mynsngat) village alleged that a powerful explosion at a stone quarry caused severe burn injuries to several persons. Videos purportedly linked to the incident have since gone viral, intensifying public scrutiny and raising questions over possible reporting gaps and enforcement failures.

According to sources, one person, suspected to be a Bangladeshi national, allegedly died on the spot following the explosion, while another victim, identified as 34-year-old Ashok Tamang, later succumbed to burn injuries at Shillong Civil Hospital. Hospital police booth records indicate that Tamang was admitted to the surgical ward (Bed No. 32) on December 23 after sustaining serious injuries in an incident reported to have occurred around 7 am that day, and that he died during treatment on January 1.

Despite these claims, Superintendent of Police, East Jaintia Hills, Vikas Kumar, maintained that no such incident had been reported in the district and said verification efforts were still underway. "Enquiries were made with all police stations, and we are also in constant touch with village headmen and local residents. The visuals are not connected to this district," he said, adding that checks across all eight police stations had yielded no confirmation of the alleged blast.

Earlier, speaking to reporters outside Shillong Civil Hospital, Civil Society Women's Organization president Agnes Kharshiing said she had personally verified the hospital police booth register after official statements dismissed reports of the incident. "I already had information that Ashok Tamang died on January 1 due to dynamite blasting. That is why we came to the hospital police booth to verify the details," Kharshiing said, asserting that the register confirmed Tamang's admission on December 23 with burn injuries sustained in a blasting incident. Alleging attempts to conceal the matter, she demanded transparency and accountability from the authorities as the controversy deepened.

Also Read: MHRC Issues Notice to Chief Secretary Over Alleged Blast Deaths in East Jaintia Hills